Voting underway in UK general election (Third Lead)

Voting was underway across the UK in a snap general election on Thursday as the nation is set to elect a new Prime Minister ahead of negotiations over Britain's exit from the European Union slated to begin on June 19.

The election will have a big impact on how the country negotiates its exit from the European Union.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and they will close at 10 p.m. with the first result -- likely to be Houghton and Sunderland South which has been quickest at the last five elections -- expected to declare just one hour later at 11 p.m., The Telegraph reported.

Prime Minister Theresa May, along with her husband Philip, cast her vote at a polling station in the town of Sonning, in her parliamentary constituency Maidenhead, which she has represented since 1997, Efe news reported.

May made no comment to the media after exercising her franchise.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn greeted reporters as he arrived at Pakeman primary school in Holloway, north London, to cast his vote, the Guardian reported.

He told the the media: "Thank you very much, all of you, for coming here today. It's a day of our democracy. I've just voted. I'm very proud of our campaign. Thank you very much."

A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected, with about 46.9 million people registered to vote. Some votes have already been cast, through postal voting.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cast her vote in Glasgow.

May called the snap general election in April, when the ruling Conservative Party held a working majority in the British House of Commons of just 17 seats and had a lead of over 10 percentage points suggested by some surveys.

But the Conservatives' lead over the opposition Labour Party narrowed to a single digit after weeks of campaign, which has made the battle for 10 Downing Street unpredictable.

To form a majority in the House of Commons, one party must win 326 seats.

--IANS

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