LONDON, July 4. /TASS/. About 40,000 polling stations have opened in the snap general election in the United Kingdom; they are set to close at 10:00 p.m. local time (9:00 p.m. GMT).

As many as 650 seats in the lower house - the House of Commons - are up for grabs. Whichever party wins a majority will get the right to form a government.

According to a YouGov poll published one day before the vote, the Labor Party led by 61-year-old Keir Starmer, which has held a minority since 2010, may secure its biggest victory in almost 200 years. The ruling Conservative Party is expected to lose nearly 70% of the seats it currently holds. Many political heavyweights, including 16 out of 26 cabinet members, are expected to be ousted from parliament. The Liberal Democrats party is likely to take third place, while the Scottish National Party risks losing its already tenuous positions.

The first exit polls will be published right after polling stations close. The winners are supposed to be announced by Friday morning. If the Labor Party wins the election, King Charles will ask Starmer to form a government, appointing him as prime minister. All the key members of Starmer’s team are already known because in recent years, they were part of the so-called shadow cabinet.