By IRNA,
London : Britons started to go to the polls Thursday in the most unpredictable election in decades to decide the composition of the country’s next parliament from which a new government is chosen.
Altogether some 45 million Britons are registered to vote for their local MP in 650 constituencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each based on a simple first-past-the-post system.
A total of 4,149 candidates are standing from no less than 135 parties as well as 315 independents, even though the essential contest is between Labour, Conservatives and third-placed Liberal Democrats.
The elections are seen as particularly crucial coming after Britain suffered its worst economic recession in over 70 years and the country’s democratic system has been discredited by the recent scandal over the extent of MPs expenses.
Opinion polls have pointed to the closest since the 1970s and the likely outcome of a hung parliament with no party gaining an overall majority, although the opposition Conservatives have been firm favourites to be returned to office for the first time since 1992.
The Conservatives are seeking to gain an additional 113 MPs to be declared the outright winner and automatically win the right to form the next government following three successive Labour victories in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Failing this, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is entitled to stay in power if he can command enough support in parliament by reaching an agreement or even a formal coalition with other parties, particularly the Lib Dems, who are expected to win around 80 or more seats.
Each of the three main parties are fielding candidates for 631 of the 632 UK mainland constituencies, but according to convention, are standing aside to allow for the re-election of the non-partisan Speaker John Bercow in Buckingham, south-east England.
In the 40 seats in Wales and 59 in Scotland, Labour, Conservatives and Lib Dems face additional challenges from nationalist parties, but in Northern Ireland, the 18 constituencies are uniquely contested by only local parties.
Other parties include the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), which has selected a record 557 candidates, while the extreme right-wing British National Party (BNP) is also fielding its highest-ever number, 337, even though neither have any MPs.
But the Greens, which has 334 running, is hoping its leader Caroline Lucas wins the party’s first seat in Brighton, southern England, after she was elected last year to the European Parliament.
Counting begins immediately after the polls close at 10 pm (21.00 GMT) with the first results from constituencies, where the number of voters vary between 40,000 and 100,000 plus voters, expected from midnight onwards.
Simultaneously with the voting, local council elections are also taking place across England, including all 32 London boroughs as well as for several mayors.