Tens of millions of voters will head to the polls on Thursday in a truly historic general election which has the potential to shape Britain’s future for decades to come, with the outcome still highly uncertain.

Polls suggested that Boris Johnson’s Conservatives were heading for a small working majority of around 20-30 MPs – enough to allow him to push through Brexit on 31 January and set the UK economy on track for years of turbulence as he gives up membership of the single market and customs union and attempts to negotiate complex trade deals in Europe and around the world.

But the spectre of a hung parliament remained over the prime minister, due to the volatility of the electorate and the potential for widespread tactical voting which could snatch an overall majority from his grasp.

And Mr Johnson’s claim to be able to “get Brexit done” was dealt a heavy blow as EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier told a meeting of MEPs in Brussels that it would not be possible to complete a full trade deal by the PM’s self-imposed deadline of December 2020 and warned that the prospect remains of a no-deal crash-out at the end of next year.

Meanwhile, former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King branded Mr Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement a “terrible deal” which would damage the food and agricultural sectors and commit the UK to an “impossible” timetable to negotiate future trade arrangements with the continent.

An eve-of-election poll of more than 1,600 voters by BMG Research for The Independent put Tories on 41 per cent to Labour’s 32 and Liberal Democrats’ 14. While pointing to a small Johnson majority, the margin of error inevitable in any such survey meant the PM was by no means assured of clearing the 6-7 per cent majority believed to be needed to form a government, in a parliament where no other party is likely to be willing to form a coalition with him.

General election: Facts and figures Show all 79 1 /79 General election: Facts and figures General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls General Election 2019 opinion polls. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Estimated declaration time General Election 2019 estimated declaration times. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures 'Big beasts' at risk General Election 2019 'big beasts' at risk. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Smallest majorities at 2017 general election Smallest majorities at 2017 general election. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Turnout at UK general elections Turnout at UK general elections. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 poll of polls General Election 2019 poll of polls. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Vote shares at general elections since 1945 Vote shares at general elections since 1945. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in North-west England General election 2019 seats to watch in North-west England. See story POLITICS Election NorthWest. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Women MPs at UK general elections Women MPs at UK general elections. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits - Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn General Election 2019 leaders' visits. See story POLITICS Election Visits. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Boris Johnson's campaign visits so far General Election 2019: Boris Johnson's campaign visits so far. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Jeremy Corbyn's campaign visits so far General Election 2019: Jeremy Corbyn's campaign visits so far. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Pound v dollar Pound v dollar. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls in Wales General Election 2019 opinion polls in Wales. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in London General election 2019 seats to watch in London See story POLITICS Election London. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Wales General Election 2019 seats to watch in Wales. See story POLITICS Election WalesSeats. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Eastern England General election 2019 seats to watch in Eastern England. See story POLITICS Election Eastern. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits so far General Election 2019: leaders' visits so far. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in south-east England General Election 2019 seats to watch, south-east England. See story POLITICS Election SouthEast. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits General Election 2019 leaders' visits. See story POLITICS Election Visits. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Historic Labour seats at risk General Election 2019: historic Labour seats at risk. See story POLITICS Election Historic. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (one week to go) v election result 2017 Opinion polls v election rsult 2017. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 polls in Scotland General Election 2019 opinion polls in Scotland. See story POLITICS Election Poll Scotland. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (one week to go) v election result 2015 Opinion polls v election result 2015. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in West Midlands General election 2019 seats to watch in the West Midlands. See story POLITICS Election WestMidlands. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Bellwether seats Bellwether seats at UK general elections. See story POLITICS Election Bellwethers. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Conservative top targets General Election 2019 Conservative top targets. See story POLITICS Election Conservatives. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 polls in London General Election 2019 opinion polls in London. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Leaders' approval ratings, July-December Leaders' approval ratings. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Yorkshire General election 2019 seats to watch in Yorkshire. See story POLITICS Election Yorkshire. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 timetable General Election 2019 timetable. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Labour top targets General Election 2019 Labour top targets. Infographic PA graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in north-east England General Election 2019 seats to watch, north-east England. See story POLITICS Election NorthEast. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures When parliamentary seats last changed hands When parliamentary seats last changed hands. See story POLITICS Election Seats. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in the East Midlands General election 2019 seats to watch in the East Midlands. See story POLITICS Election EastMidlands. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in south-west England General election 2019 seats to watch in south-west England. See story POLITICS Election SouthWest. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Planned increase in day-to-day departmental spending General Election 2019 planned increase in day-to-day departmental spending. See story POLITICS Election IFS. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Corporation tax rates General Election 2019 corporation tax rates. See story POLITICS Election IFS. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (two weeks to go) v election result 2017 Opinion polls v election result 2017. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic by PA Graphics. PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (two weeks to go) v election result 2015 Opinion polls v election result 2015. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic by PA Graphics. PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Hospital admissions in England for poisoning by drug misuse. See story POLITICS Drugs. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Applications to register to vote Applications to register to vote. See story POLITICS Election Voting. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures How many women MPs could there be after the election? How many women MPs could there be after the election? See story POLITICS Election Women. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls in Wales General Election 2019 opinion polls in Wales. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures A comparison of the length of the manifestos of the main parties A comparison of the length of the manifestos of the main parties. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Leaders' approval ratings, July-November Leaders' approval ratings. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Council houses built in the UK 1951-2018 Council houses built in the UK 1951-2018. See story POLITICS Election Labour Housing. Infographic from PA graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Council houses built in the UK Council houses built in the UK. See story POLITICS Election Labour Housing. Infographic from PA graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (three weeks to go) v election result 2015 Opinion polls v election result 2015. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic by PA Graphics. PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (three weeks to go) v election result 2017 Opinion polls v election result 2017. See story POLITICS Election Polls. Infographic by PA Graphics. PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 target seats General election 2019 target seats. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Lib Dem targets General Election 2019 Lib Dem targets. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures SNP targets General Election 2019 SNP targets. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Plaid Cymru targets General Election 2019 Plaid Cymru targets. See story POLITICS Election Plaid. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Prime ministers with shortest time in office Prime ministers with shortest time in office. See story POLITICS Election PrimeMinister. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Applications to register to vote Applications to register to vote. See story POLITICS Election Voting. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Major toll roads & bridges in Great Britain Major toll roads & bridges in Great Britain. See story POLITICS Election Labour Tolls. Infographic from PA graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Police workforce in England and Wales Police workforce in England and Wales. See story POLITICS Election Tories Knife. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Police officers in England and Wales Police officers in England and Wales. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Police-recorded homicides in England and Wales Police-recorded homicides in England and Wales. See story POLITICS Election Tories Knife. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Knife crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales Knife crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales. See story POLITICS Election Tories Knife. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls in 2019 Opinion polls in 2019. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Number of candidates per seat Number of candidates per seat at the 2019 General Election. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Candidates standing in the 2019 General Election Candidates standing in the 2019 General Election. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Candidates at UK general elections since 1979 Candidates at UK general elections since 1979. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Women candidates at the 2019 General Election Women candidates at the 2019 General Election. Infographic from PA Graphics. Charlotte Hodges Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Prime ministers with smallest constituency majorities to defend Prime ministers with smallest constituency majorities to defend at a general election. See story POLITICS Election Majority. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Cost of administering polls since 2010 Cost of administering polls since 2010. See story POLITICS Election Cost. Infographic by PA Graphics. Embargoed to 0001 Wednesday November 6 PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures People's Vote group priority list of recommended candidates in key target seats People's Vote group revealed its priority list of recommended candidates in key target seats. See story POLITICS Election Vote. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures MPs retiring from the House of Commons at general elections MPs retiring from the House of Commons at general elections. See story POLITICS Elections. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Plaid Cymru/Green pact in Wales Lib Dems/Plaid Cymru/Green pact in Wales. See POLITICS Election Pact Seats. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Green pact in England, seats where Greens have stood down in favour of Lib Dems Lib Dems/Green pact in England, seats where Greens have stood down in favour of Lib Dems. See story POLITICS Election Pact Seats. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Green pact in England Lib Dems/Green pact in England. See story POLITICS Election Pact Seats. Infographic by PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Nationality of NHS workforce in England Nationality of NHS workforce in England. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Proportion of NHS workforce in England who are not UK nationals Proportion of NHS workforce in England who are not UK nationals. See story POLITICS Election. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Long-term net migration to the UK Long-term net migration to the UK. See story POLITICS Election Immigration. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images General election: Facts and figures Shortest parliamentary sessions since First World War Shortest parliamentary sessions since First World War. See story POLITICS Election Dissolution. Infographic PA Graphics PA Graphics Press Association Images

And the poll indicated that Mr Johnson would force Brexit through without the support of a majority of the British people, with 54 per cent saying they want to Remain in the EU and 46 per cent to Leave.

Some of the big beasts of Brexit found their seats under threat as polling day approached, with foreign secretary Dominic Raab, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, environment secretary Theresa Villiers, veteran eurosceptic Sir John Redwood – and possibly even Mr Johnson himself – vulnerable to a pro-EU backlash in constituencies where many voters do not share their enthusiasm for leaving.

Supporters of a second Brexit referendum urged voters to cast their ballots tactically to ensure that the public has the Final Say on whether the UK should quit the EU.

Gina Miller, founder of the tactical voting website remainunited.org, told The Independent: “Voting for a Tory candidate closes the door to a second referendum. Voting tactically is the key to keeping the door open to a second referendum.”

Two Liberal Democrats endorsed tactical votes for Labour rivals on the eve of polling day, in the hope of ensuring the better-placed pro-referendum candidate is able to defeat Conservatives in Stockton South and Cardiff North.

In his final rally of the election campaign in east London, after a breakneck dash round the country which saw him visit Glasgow, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Ashfield and Bedford, Mr Corbyn told supporters Thursday’s vote provided them with an opportunity to “shock the establishment by voting for hope”.

“We stand at a fork in the road,” said the Labour leader. “The choice facing you, the people of this country, tomorrow is truly historic.”

Jeremy Corbyn in Bury, South Wales (AFP via Getty ) (AFP)

He warned that a Johnson victory would not mean life remaining the same, warning: “He will make it worse. He will open our NHS to takeover by American mega corporations and carry on with more cuts.

“Tomorrow, vote for hope. Vote for real change.

“When Labour wins, the nurse wins, the pensioner wins, the student wins, the office worker wins, the engineer wins. We all win. The future is ours to make together, and it’s time for real change for the many, not the few.”

Mr Johnson, who began his day delivering milk to doorsteps in West Yorkshire before flying to South Wales and Essex, issued a polling-day plea to voters to “vote today to break the gridlock, vote to get Brexit done, vote to unleash Britain’s potential”.

Bottling it: the prime minister in West Yorkshire (AP)

“The last parliament was so obsessed with arguing about Brexit, they were even arguing about arguing,” said the prime minister. “They were not focusing on what you, the people, want.

“Enough is enough. This election is our chance to end the gridlock but the result is on a knife-edge.”

But Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said the polls showed it was still “absolutely possible” to deny the Tories an overall majority through tactical voting.

“We know from past elections that very often voters who vote tactically come to that conclusion in the final hours before they cast their vote,” she said.

Campaigners for a Final Say referendum were planning a last-ditch push to encourage tactical voting to prevent a Johnson majority.

People’s Vote was sending volunteers and resources to what it calls the ‘TV3’ constituencies where tactical voting can have the biggest impact – Esher & Walton in Surrey, where Mr Raab is coming under pressure from Liberal Democrats, Tony Blair’s old seat of Sedgefield where Labour’s pro-referendum Phil Wilson is facing a challenge from Tories and Cheltenham, where Lib Dems are hopeful of regaining a seat which voted 57 per cent Remain.

Campaign manager Stuart Hand said: “With the opening of polls just hours away voters’ minds are becoming laser-focused on what they can do to return a candidate who supports putting Brexit back to the people. The answer is very simple – vote tactically.

“Just a few thousand people voting tactically across the country can make the difference between the disaster of Brexit and a people’s vote.”

The Vote for a Final Say campaign released analysis of social media activity by Pulsar/89up which showed that tactical voting was the third most-discussed topic online during the election campaign, behind Brexit and the NHS but ahead of issues like the economy and antisemitism.

There have been more than 700,000 mentions of tactical voting on Twitter alone since the start of the campaign, with a significant spike after 5 December as polling day neared.

VFS has been one of the heaviest spenders on Facebook in the last week of the election, sending out 2.7 millions adverts to 1.2 million voters in 29 ultra-marginal seats.

Meanwhile, the Corbyn-backing Momentum movement was planning what it said would be “the biggest and most digitally-sophisticated get-out-the-vote operation in British political history” to maximise Labour’s support at the ballot box.

The movement said that 5,600 people have so far pledged to spend the day campaigning, many of them in marginal constituencies.

Jo Swinson (AFP via Getty)

The non-partisan Vote For Your Future group will give more than 50,000 students a polling day reminder to vote, in a campaign of flyers and door knocking in more than 15 university locations across the country.

Some 1.5 million under-25s registered to vote after the election was called – 37 per cent more than in 2017 – and with almost all universities still in term time, VFYF is aiming to ensure that students turn out in their highest numbers yet.

“We’ve already seen record numbers of young people registering to vote – now it’s time to make ourselves heard at the ballot box,” said campaign director Lara Spirit.