Polls have opened across the UK in today's general election after Rishi Sunak made a last-minute plea for voters to prevent a 'socialist supermajority' from taking power

and potentially harming Britain.

From 7 am until 10 pm, millions of Britons will head to polling stations to cast their votes in the first Westminster contest since 2019.

A series of opinion polls leading up to today have shown Labour on course for a significant landslide victory.

However, the Prime Minister, who called the general election six weeks ago, has warned voters against giving Sir Keir Starmer unchecked power.

The Tory leader continued his campaign against a Labour 'socialist supermajority' with a series of overnight social media posts right up until polls opened.

Sunak has repeatedly warned that Sir Keir, if elected, would hike taxes and claimed that Labour will target workers, savers, homeowners, pensioners, and drivers.

At his final campaign rally last night, the PM admitted he was the 'underdog' but vowed, "This underdog will fight to the final whistle."

Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty were seen voting early this morning at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire.

Writing in the Daily Mail today, Mr. Sunak urged disaffected Tory voters who are considering staying home or voting for Reform UK to support the Conservatives to prevent Sir Keir from gaining power.

Mr. Sunak acknowledged that people are "frustrated with me, with our party" after a tough period in which Britain has been hit by COVID-19 and the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He warned that today's election will have "lasting consequences" if it results in a landslide that would embolden Labour to raise taxes "even further."

"I need your vote to defend our vision of Britain: to back lower taxes, controlled borders, and a secure future for our country," the PM wrote. "Join with us and we can make a difference and stop the socialist supermajority."

Polls suggest that up to half the voters who backed the Conservatives in 2019 could desert them today, with some backing Reform UK, some staying at home, and others supporting the Lib Dems or Labour.

Mr. Sunak pointed to analysis suggesting that as few as 130,000 voters in key seats could change the course of the election, noting that "a huge number of seats in this election will be decided by a few hundred votes."

In his final campaign speech last night, Mr. Sunak said his experience as a Southampton football fan taught him "that the game isn't over until the final whistle goes and that there's fight in the underdog."

Labour was accused last night of secretly planning a raid on council tax after their Treasury deputy-in-waiting said he understands the "frustration" of not making richer people pay more.

Darren Jones, in line to be number two at the Treasury under a Labour government, told a constituency meeting in Bristol in May that the current system was "very out of date," blaming a "capitalist democracy."

Although Labour has only ruled out increases to income tax, national insurance, and VAT, they have been unable to rule out 17 other taxes, including council tax. Shadow ministers have been repeatedly pushed on their plans to reevaluate council tax but have failed to state they would not raise it.

Mr. Jones said Labour would not be elected if they suggested a revaluation of the charge, according to a leaked recording of the meeting.

A Labour spokesperson dismissed the claims as "false, scaremongering nonsense" on the eve of polls opening.

All results are being counted overnight, with the final results expected around 6:30 am on July 5. Photo by RachelH_, Wikimedia commons.