Britain polls open after final plea from Johnson

[LONDON] Boris Johnson made a final plea for UK voters to back him to deliver Brexit in Thursday's general election, as polls suggested his lead over rival Jeremy Corbyn may be narrowing.

At the end of a bruising six-week campaign, the two men vying to be Britain's next prime minister both said the country stood at a fork in the road.

At a rally in east London on Wednesday evening, Mr Johnson warned wavering voters not to be complacent by trusting polls that predict his Conservative Party will win a majority. Just three miles away, Labour leader Corbyn hosted a rally in which he attacked the media for downplaying Labour's chance of victory.

Surveys carried out before polling day showed a Tory lead, but a narrowing ga. Savanta ComRes put the Tories on 41 per cent, Labour on 36 per cent, Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent. Survation showed a wider gap, with the Tories on 45 per cent and Labour on 34 per cent, the Liveral Democrats on 9 per cent.

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Corbyn ended their campaigns in East London - Mr Johnson in the Olympic Park to remind voters of his success in delivering the 2012 Games as mayor of London

Mr Corbyn said Labour is set for victory in Thursday's election and that the British media was both downplaying and hurting his party's chances

Mr Johnson was once again accused of ducking questions after he avoided an impromptu interview by going into a walk-in fridge while out campaigning

Labour's economy spokesman John McDonnell said the party could yet deliver a surprise majority on Thursday

European Union officials privately said they want Johnson's Tories to win, to end the Brexit limbo

Mr Johnson warned there was a real risk of a hung parliament again.

The pound traded up 0.10 per cent at 1.3208 per dollar at 06.30 am Thursday

The Conservatives go into election day with a 73 per cent chance of an overall majority, according to Betfair, while the likelihood of a hung Parliament stands at 28 per cent.

BLOOMBERG