A staff works outside a polling station in London, Britain on June 8, 2017. Polling stations across the Britain opened early Thursday as voters started to make their decision in the general election. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
LONDON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Early risers and people on their way to work were among the first to cast their votes Thursday in what has been described as Britain's most crucial election for decades.
The polling station on Finchley Road in west London opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) where Ruth Lipton was among the first ones to cast the ballots.
Lipton, in her 50s, told Xinhua that she gave her vote to the Conservatives led by Prmie Minister Theresa May, saying May "at least has proven herself in the past few months that she is more able to lead the Brexit for UK and She has the experience."
Life-long Conservative voter Joan Ingram lives in a Cheshire town dominated by Labour, and again voted Conservatives.
"I also voted to leave the EU, so at least with Theresa May, our departure from Europe will have a better chance of succeeding. The problem is at election times politicians all make promises of what they will do for us, then when electedmost of their promises are broken," Ingram said.
When May called the snap general election just six weeks ago, she held a working majority in the British House of Commons of just 17 seats.
She has pleaded with the British public to increase her strength in parliament to enable her to fight for a good deal with Brussels when negotiations start later this month on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.
Although Theresa May is on target to hold on to power, a late rally by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn may thwart the Conservative's ambition to give their majority a turbo-boost.
Working grandmother Janet Haycock who lives near Liverpool said: "I'm from a family of Labour supporters so I will continue my support for them. I worry that some of the proposals by the Conservatives will badly affect people of my age."
Chris Burgess lives in a constituency north of Liverpool, held by the Liberal Democrats but predicted to go to the Conservatives in the election.
"I voted Labour because I believe that Jeremy Corbyn will better represent working class people. The Conservatives were so arrogant in their belief they would have a landslide, they added measures in their manifesto that will impact on the elderly and people who need care," Burgess said, adding, "I still think, regrettably, that May will win but with nothing like the majority she expected."
The battle for 10 Downing Street has emerged as a two-horse race between May and Corbyn, with political commentators saying the May landslide predicted just weeks ago is now less likely.
The election result is crucial as it will set the tone for those all-important talks about the future EU-UK relationship.
May wants to strike a deal she described as "good for Britain", while Corbyn says he respected the majority decision by Britain to quit the EU, but he wants to maintain access for business and the protection of workers' rights.
Deborah Kelson, a central London resident, cast her vote for the Liberal Democrats together with her husband. The couple told Xinhua they felt "there is not too much choice" so they chose the "least worse one."
"At least their manifesto shows they are more caring for local people," Kelson said.
Traditionally campaigning does not take place on voting day, with cabinet ministers and opposition shadow ministers making the journeys to their respective constituencies to await the results.
May, who is also a constituency MP for Maidenhead in Berkshire, has cast her vote there. She greeted reporters and photographers with a cheery "hello" as she arrived with husband Philip to vote at the guide and scout hut.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arrived at Pakeman Primary School in Holloway, north London, to cast his vote on Thursday morning. He called this "a day of our democracy."
Hundreds of polling stations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), and will close at 10 p.m.
Almost 47 million people, aged 18 and over, a record number, are entitled to vote in the election, half a million more than in the 2015 election.
Polling stations have been set up in a whole range of premises, from libraries to schools, with more unusual venues such as public bars, supermarkets, and hairdressing salons.
The kitchen of one house in Yorkshire will act as one of the country's smallest polling stations. Peter Easterby, 63, and his wife Liz, 53, expect a procession of around 40 neighbors to make the journey to vote in their remote home in Driffield, 48 km east of York.
At precisely 22:00 local time, the voting stops, the pencils used to place crosses on ballot papers will be stacked away, and an army of vote counters take over.
Over the following hours, the results will flow in from the 650 parliamentary constituencies, each choosing one MP to represent them in the House of Commons. The first party to hit 326 seats will win the election.
