SIR Keir Starmer is set to become Britain’s next Prime Minister after thumping Rishi Sunak to one of the biggest landslides in modern times.
The exit poll projects the Labour leader to thunder into Downing Street with a 170-seat majority - eclipsing Tony Blair’s 1997 rout.
Labour are on course to win 410 seats, compared to 131 for the Conservatives - down from the 346 they won in 2019.
The Lib Dems are forecast to increase their haul to 61 while Nigel Farage's Reform are on course for 13 seats.
It puts an end to 14 years of Tory rule after Mr Sunak’s early election gamble failed to revive the party’s fortunes.
Barring a spectacular overnight upset, the PM will formally resign to King Charles on Friday morning before Sir Keir is asked by the monarch to form the next government.
He will then appoint his Cabinet before finalising a blizzard of new laws to be announced to Parliament on July 17.
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Labour’s expected victory is a significant turnaround from five years ago when the party crashed to its worst defeat since 1935 under Jeremy Corbyn.
However polls have shown Sir Keir’s own personal appeal will be among the lowest of any incoming premier.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner said last night: “The numbers are encouraging. but of course, the exit poll is a poll so we haven’t had any results yet.
“I think Keir Starmer has done a tremendous job of transforming the Labour Party and putting forward a program for government.”
Labour veteran Lord Peter Mandelson hailed the results as a "political meteor".
The final results are likely to show a collapse in Tory support in both the Red Wall seats won by Boris Johnson in 2019, as well as their traditional heartlands in the south.
Exit polls: Everything you need to know
THE exit poll gives Brits a sniff of the election result just minutes after voting ends.
Interviewers at 133 polling stations across the country ask voters to fill in a replica ballot paper and put it in a ballot box as they leave.
The pollsters choose a mix of constituencies which best reflect national trends, many of which are marginal seats.
Data collected at polling stations is sent in a secure pipeline to a secret location in London where boffins crunch the numbers.
Their phones are taken away and the room is protected by security guards.
It has usually been on the money in recent years - except in 2015, when it predicted a hung parliament only for David Cameron to win a majority.
Number-crunchers also got the result wrong in the 2016 Brexit referendum, when the exit poll suggested Remain had won.
The faulty poll even prompted Brexiteer Nigel Farage to concede defeat on Twitter - before rejoicing at the Leave victory in the morning.
Expert Javier Sajuria told Channel 4: "As polls go, it is probably one of the most reliable.
"Even in 2015, when the polling industry suffered a lot of criticism for their failures to anticipate a Tory majority, the exit poll outperformed everyone else.
"In general, I would say that the UK exit polls have been largely successful, and much better than in other countries."
Veteran BBC presenter David Dimbleby has revealed the exit poll to the nation following 11 different elections from 1979 to 2019.
Dimbleby said revealing the winner of the election can be a "heart-stopping moment".
But he caused a stir this week by saying the exit poll is "the worst invention ever".
Dimbleby told the BBC's Newscast podcast: "The exit poll is the bane of the broadcaster’s life.
"It’s the worst invention ever brought in - it’s like a thriller and you’re given the answer before we’ve even started on page one.
"The exit poll seems to me entirely detrimental to the excitement of election night.
"It gives people something to talk about until three in the morning when the first serious results flow starts.
"But I never liked them. It takes the fun away."
Mr Sunak has been under further pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform party and Sir Ed Davey’s resurgent Lib Dems.
The Tories have been heavily criticised for running one of the most disastrous campaigns in the party’s history.
It included a string of unforced errors including returning early from the D-Day commemorations and the betting scandal.
He did manage to land some blows on tax and immigration during a series of campaign debates.
Sir Keir has run a cautious campaign and unveiled a manifesto of “no surprises” that pledged not to raise the headline rates of national insurance, income tax or VAT.
Mr Sunak spent the majority of his time visiting seats with sizeable Conservative majorities, where even there he took a pummelling on the NHS, immigration and MP sleaze scandals blighting his clean personal image.
He is almost certain to resign as Tory leader one year and nine months on from succeeding Liz Truss.
But the outgoing PM may not resign immediately and could choose to stay put until party members pick his successor.
Alternatively, a “caretaker” such as Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, could temporarily take charge.
The Tory leadership contest could be immediate or delayed until later in the year, giving party elders time to reflect and consider next best moves.
But even as the election campaign was in full swing, Tory leadership hopefuls were secretly canvassing support.
Key Election Night Timings
So, what happens on Election Night? Here's our guide on when to expect the key results.
22:00 - Voting closes and the exit poll is released, giving the first indication of the election result
23:30 - First expected declaration in Blyth and Ashington, which are expected to be held by Labour
03:30 - Result expected in Godalming and Ash, Jeremy Hunt’s seat, which is on a knife-edge and could swing to the Lib Dems
03:45 - Half of all election results will have been declared
04:00 - Results expected in Richmond and Northallerton, Rishi Sunak’s seat, and Clacton, where Nigel Farage is standing for Reform UK
04:15 - Result expected in Holborn and St Pancras, Sir Keir Starmer’s seat. Labour chief will make first remarks on election results
06:30 - Final declarations to be made and full election results become apparent
Behind the scenes soundings for more likely candidates were taking place, including from staff representing anti-woke Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins and immigration hard man Robert Jenrick.
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The contest could get brutal as the moderate and hard right Tory tribes fight for the soul of the party.
One Nation Tories are desperate to battle from the centre, while from the right a core group of MPs want to take the fight to Mr Farage and Reform.