A leftwing alliance is on track to become the biggest force in the French parliament for the first time in decades, pushing the far right into third place as exit polls suggest no single group has won an absolute majority.

Keir Starmer has pledged to restore public confidence and fight tirelessly following Labour’s historic general election victory in 2024.

Keir Starmer has hailed a “new age of hope” as millions of people prepared to vote in a general election potentially heralding the biggest shake-up of British politics in a generation, with polls predicting an unprecedented Labour victory.