Mr Farage could become kingmaker of British politics as his party is set to snatch votes from the Conservatives and Labour despite only being in existence for six weeks. Across the EU, voting has been taking place since Thursday, with the majority of polls opening today. Results will only be confirmed once the last poll closes – in Italy at 10pm UK time. The first countries expected to declare their results are the ones who voted on Thursday, including the United Kingdom, and Friday. 

However, Brexit Party leader Mr Farage has already declared the vote will place him as the kingmaker of British politics as voters protest the Brexit chaos.

Mr Farage told Fox News: “On Sunday night, we get the results of the European elections.

“The Conservative Party will get less than 10 percent of the vote.  

“The Brexit Party which I founded six weeks ago is expected to top the polls with 35 percent. 

“Whoever the Conservatives choose, whether it’s Boris or not, without my support they won’t win the next election.”

The latest opinion poll, carried out by Survation for the Daily Mail on May 22 on 2,029 people, placed the Brexit Party at 31 percent, with a 8 percent lead on the Labour Party, followed by the Conservative at 14 percent and the Lib Dems at 12 percent.

Priti Patel, the former International Development Secretary, admitted her fears for the Conservative Party tonight.

In an article for the Sunday Express, the MP for Witham wrote: “Not only is the party set to have its worse result in a nationwide poll in its 180-year history but we find ourselves competing with minority parties.

“How on earth did it come to this? Rarely have we witnessed such a level of anger.”   

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4.28pm updates: Sebastian Kurz’s party leads Austria in polls despite coalition upset

A polls-based projection shows Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s conservative People’s Party commanding a strong lead in his country’s European elections.

The projection, based on a survey carried out on 5,200 voters between Tuesday and Sunday – but mainly before the election – showed support for Mr Kurz’s party at 34.5 percent. 

On the other hand, the Social Democrats received 23.5 percent of the preferences and the far-right Freedom Party, whose leader Heinz-Christian Strache quit a week ago over a video sting, were in third place at 17.5 percent.

The surveys and projection were carried out by pollsters SORA and ARGE Wahlen for national broadcaster ORV, broadcaster ATV and news agency APA.  

4.02 update: Shock rise in turnout recorded in the UK 

Official turnout figures will be released later tonight, but some reports from local councils signal a surge in the number of voters casting their ballots on Thursday – especially in areas where Remain won in the 2016 EU Referendum.

In Northern Ireland, the turnout on Thursday was 45.14 percent, up more than 6 percent from the past elections in 2014. 

Cardiff recorded an increase of nearly 10 percent in turnout from 2014, 41.6 percent in total this time compared to 31.7 percent of the valid votes cast five years ago. 

And in Durham the turnout was 32.9 percent, increasing from the 27.6 percent recorded in 2014. 

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