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| Voting begins in EU referendum as polls say result too close to call | Voting begins in EU referendum as polls say result too close to call |
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| Polling stations have opened across the United Kingdom on Thursday morning after a closely-fought referendum campaign that neither side is confident enough to call. | |
| Related: EU referendum live: decision day as polls put remain and leave neck-and-neck | |
| A final rash of polls offered mixed predictions, with two putting remain ahead and two suggesting leads for leave. Most suggest as many as 10% of voters are still undecided, meaning much could hinge on turnout today. | A final rash of polls offered mixed predictions, with two putting remain ahead and two suggesting leads for leave. Most suggest as many as 10% of voters are still undecided, meaning much could hinge on turnout today. |
| Politicians on both sides made their final pitches yesterday, slaloming the UK in a last-ditch effort to win over waverers and opponents. | Politicians on both sides made their final pitches yesterday, slaloming the UK in a last-ditch effort to win over waverers and opponents. |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, appeared alongside his predecessor Gordon Brown to issue an impassioned defence of staying within the European Union. | The prime minister, David Cameron, appeared alongside his predecessor Gordon Brown to issue an impassioned defence of staying within the European Union. |
| “It is a fact that our economy will be weaker if we leave and stronger if we stay,” a shirt-sleeved Cameron told supporters in Birmingham. | “It is a fact that our economy will be weaker if we leave and stronger if we stay,” a shirt-sleeved Cameron told supporters in Birmingham. |
| Brown pleaded with voters to reject the negativity that has typified much of the long campaign. | Brown pleaded with voters to reject the negativity that has typified much of the long campaign. |
| “This is not the Britain I know, this is not the Britain I love. The Britain I know is better than the Britain of these debates, of insults, of posters,” he said. “The Britain I know is a Britain of Jo Cox. The Britain where people are tolerant – and not prejudiced and where people hate.” | “This is not the Britain I know, this is not the Britain I love. The Britain I know is better than the Britain of these debates, of insults, of posters,” he said. “The Britain I know is a Britain of Jo Cox. The Britain where people are tolerant – and not prejudiced and where people hate.” |
| On what would have been Cox’s 42nd birthday, a series of tributes were held worldwide on Wednesday to remember the MP, who was killed in her constituency of Batley and Spen a week ago. Her husband, Brendan Cox, said she would have planned to spend the day “dashing around the streets of her home town” campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU. | On what would have been Cox’s 42nd birthday, a series of tributes were held worldwide on Wednesday to remember the MP, who was killed in her constituency of Batley and Spen a week ago. Her husband, Brendan Cox, said she would have planned to spend the day “dashing around the streets of her home town” campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU. |
| The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who spoke at a separate event in London on Wednesday, agreed with Brown that the tone of the campaign had been divisive, adding: “The Farage poster of the Syrian refugees was just the pits.” | The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who spoke at a separate event in London on Wednesday, agreed with Brown that the tone of the campaign had been divisive, adding: “The Farage poster of the Syrian refugees was just the pits.” |
| Related: Jeremy Corbyn makes final referendum pitch to Labour voters | Related: Jeremy Corbyn makes final referendum pitch to Labour voters |
| But he said the concerns of some voters on issues such as immigration – the key plank of the Vote Leave campaign – needed to be addressed. | But he said the concerns of some voters on issues such as immigration – the key plank of the Vote Leave campaign – needed to be addressed. |
| “They raise issues of poverty, they raise issues of housing, they raise issues of health; and yes they raise issues of immigration, all these issues are raised; but if you have a rational discussion with people, as I try to do, and don’t do it with rancour, you don’t do with personal abuse, then you get a hearing.” | “They raise issues of poverty, they raise issues of housing, they raise issues of health; and yes they raise issues of immigration, all these issues are raised; but if you have a rational discussion with people, as I try to do, and don’t do it with rancour, you don’t do with personal abuse, then you get a hearing.” |
| Boris Johnson, heading the final push for the Vote Leave campaign, insisted his side was “on the verge of victory”. | Boris Johnson, heading the final push for the Vote Leave campaign, insisted his side was “on the verge of victory”. |
| Urging voters to turn out in great numbers, he warned: “This will not come again.” | Urging voters to turn out in great numbers, he warned: “This will not come again.” |
| A record number of voters are eligible to take part in the referendum, with the Electoral Commission putting the number at 46,499,537. Citizens of Gibraltar are also entitled to vote, with a recent poll there putting the proportion wanting to stay at 88%. | A record number of voters are eligible to take part in the referendum, with the Electoral Commission putting the number at 46,499,537. Citizens of Gibraltar are also entitled to vote, with a recent poll there putting the proportion wanting to stay at 88%. |
| There are fears that turnout could be dampened by poor weather, with London and the south of England battered by storms and heavy rain overnight. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for rain across Kent and East Sussex, saying “intense thundery downpours” could cause travel disruption and localised flooding. Weather across the rest of the country is expected to be fine. | There are fears that turnout could be dampened by poor weather, with London and the south of England battered by storms and heavy rain overnight. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for rain across Kent and East Sussex, saying “intense thundery downpours” could cause travel disruption and localised flooding. Weather across the rest of the country is expected to be fine. |
| But in the City on Wednesday, there were rises for shares and the pound as confidence grew for a remain victory, although an afternoon Opinium survey – which gave leave a one-point lead, 45% to 44% – did prompt a last-minute dip. | But in the City on Wednesday, there were rises for shares and the pound as confidence grew for a remain victory, although an afternoon Opinium survey – which gave leave a one-point lead, 45% to 44% – did prompt a last-minute dip. |
| Two other polls predicted remain to pull ahead, with ComRes for the Daily Mail and ITV News putting remain on 48%, leave on 42%. Excluding undecided voters, it found remain leading leave by 54% to 46%. | Two other polls predicted remain to pull ahead, with ComRes for the Daily Mail and ITV News putting remain on 48%, leave on 42%. Excluding undecided voters, it found remain leading leave by 54% to 46%. |
| A YouGov gave remain a two-point cushion, ahead of leave by 51% to 49%. But a TNS poll gave the advantage to leave, on 43%, with remain on 41% and 16% not decided or not voting at all. | A YouGov gave remain a two-point cushion, ahead of leave by 51% to 49%. But a TNS poll gave the advantage to leave, on 43%, with remain on 41% and 16% not decided or not voting at all. |
| Thursday’s vote will be a crunch day for Ukip and its leader, Nigel Farage, for whom a divorce from the EU is a central tenet. Farage on Wednesday night missed what had been billed as his final pitch to voters on a Channel 4 television debate, citing family reasons. | Thursday’s vote will be a crunch day for Ukip and its leader, Nigel Farage, for whom a divorce from the EU is a central tenet. Farage on Wednesday night missed what had been billed as his final pitch to voters on a Channel 4 television debate, citing family reasons. |
| Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm on Thursday evening. | Polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm on Thursday evening. |