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Harrogate is to being predicted to play a key role in estimating who wins the General Election as one of the first 20 constituencies to declare its result tonight or in the wee small hours, rather.

As voters across the country start to vote on who will form the next government, pundits will be looking out for signs of which way the political wind is blowing from the early results.

TV coverage will include an exit poll when the polls close at 10pm tonight but it is who wins which seats as results come in constituency by constituency that will confirm if the predictions are correct.

The experts say that the first three results to come in are likely to be Blyth and Ashington (11.30pm), Houghton and Sunderland South (11.45pm) and Basildon and Billericay (00.15am).

Harrogate is to predicted to play a key role in estimating who ends up in 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister as one of the first 20 constituencies to declare its result tonight. (Picture contributed)

But, among the key constituencies to watch out for tonight is Harrogate and Knaresborough, which is being tipped to be among the first 20 seats to declare a winner.

The outcome of what is expected to be a close fight here between Andrew Jones (Conservative) and Tom Gordon (Lib Dem), whether it turns out to be a Tory win or a loss, will say a lot about what is happening in the bigger picture when it comes to the Tory vote nationwide.

The vote count at Harrogate Convention Centre for Harrogate and Knaresborough is expected to be completed between 1.30am and 2am.

Whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak retains his seat further up North Yorkshire will not be revealed until later in the middle of the night.

The result in Holborn and St Pancras in London, the constituency of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, is expected to follow shortly after that.

General Election results time (estimated)

Harrogate & Knaresborough: 1.30am

Skipton & Ripon: 3am

Richmond & Northallerton: 4am

Wetherby & Easingwold: 6.30am

Who is standing in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Andrew Jones, Conservative Party

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrats

Conrad Whitcroft, Labour Party

Paul Haslam Independent

John Swales, Reform UK

Shan Oakes, Green Party.

Stephen Douglas Metcalfe – Independent

To become the government, a party needs to win in 326 constituencies to secure a majority in the House of Commons.

For the first time, voters electing their local MPs and choosing the UK's next government will have to show photo ID at their polling station.

Harrogate result could be a key sign during General Election night of who will become next government