Voters cast ballots in cliffhanger

Main parties running neck and neck raises prospect of another coalition government

The UK electorate heads to the polls on Thursday for the most unpredictable election in living memory, with fears of weeks of brinkmanship as the two major parties struggle to cobble together workable coalitions.

With no party expected to win a majority, and several smaller blocs on the rise, the election could also mark a shift to a type of fragmented politics that is more familiar in other parts of Europe.