Polls OPEN for General Election 2019 – here is all you need to know

Parliament agreed to call an election following a year of political turmoil as the Conservative Government – under two Prime Ministers – struggled to get two versions of its European Union withdrawal agreement passed.

Tomorrow’s vote had been framed as the ‘Brexit Election’ as a result – but over the past two months the NHS and climate change have emerged as crucial issues for voters.

And local concerns such as HS2, the badger cull and infrastructure could also play a decisive role in which way Cheshire votes.

National pollsters are predicting the Conservatives will emerge as the biggest party in the House of Commons tomorrow.

But the Labour Party’s poll rating has increased in recent weeks – and most opposition parties are hoping they will have done enough to prevent a Tory majority.

In a 24-hour poll on the Guardian website this week, the Labour Party emerged as the most popular party running in Northwich, Winsford, Middlewich, Knutsford and Wilmslow.

Labour picked up an overwhelming 54 per cent of the vote, while the Conservatives picked up 26 per cent and the Liberal Democrats secured 12 per cent.

Owing to a five-option limit for polls on the Guardian website, a combined option for UKIP and the Brexit Party picked up five per cent of the vote, while three per cent of voters said they would vote for either the Green Party or the Animal Welfare Party.

Much of Northwich is covered by the Weaver Vale constituency, which is usually the most dramatic seat in mid Cheshire on polling night.

The constituency was held by Labour from 1997 to 2010.

It was won by the Conservatives in 2010 and held in 2015 – with a majority of less than 1,000 in each vote – before Mike Amesbury won it back for Labour with a majority of almost 9,928.

Mike Amesbury reacts to his 2017 victory

Mr Amesbury is standing for re-election, and is battling Adam Wordsworth for the Conservatives, Daniela Parker for the Lib Dems, Paul Bowers for the Green Party and Nicholas Goulding for the Brexit Party.

Mr Goulding is the only Brexit Party candidate in mid Cheshire after his party stood down in seats which were won by the Tories in 2017 – although Andrea Allen is running for UKIP in Eddisbury.

Eddisbury – including Winsford, Delamere, Sandiway and Wimboldsley – has been won by the Tories in every election since 1983.

But Brexit could fracture that usual safe Conservative vote – with recent MP Antoinette Sandbach, who lost the Conservative whip in September, now running for the remain-backing Lib Dems.

Guardian reporter Kenny Lomas catches up with Antoinette Sandbach at the 2015 election count

She is contesting against Conservative Edward Timpson, former Crewe and Nantwich MP, and Green Party candidate Louise Jewkes – while Labour is hoping its candidate Terry Savage can capitalise from a split Tory vote and build on the party’s second-place showing in 2017.

Voters in Knutsford, Wilmslow, the surrounding villages, and in the north and east of Northwich will vote in the Tatton constituency.

Esther McVey, who won 58.6 per cent of the Tatton vote in 2017, is standing for re-election with the Conservative Party.

Esther McVey celebrates her 2017 success with her dad

She is running against James Weinberg for the Labour Party, Jonathan Smith for the Liberal Democrats and Nigel Hennerley for the Green Party.

Tatton is traditionally a safe Conservative seat – having been held by the Tories for 32 of the constituency’s 36-year history.

But opposition parties are hoping to pick up votes from traditional Conservative voters who want to see Britain remain in the EU – with Ms McVey a vocal Brexit supporter.

Meanwhile, voters in Middlewich and Holmes Chapel will vote in the Congleton constituency – held by the Conservatives since it was created in 1983.

Fiona Bruce stops for a photo at the 2017 election count

Fiona Bruce is hoping to be re-elected, having represented the seat since 2010.

She is running against Jo Dale for Labour, Paul Duffy for the Lib Dems, Richard McCarthy for the Green Party and Jane Smith for the Animal Welfare Party.

To check which constituency you are voting in, visit members.parliament.uk/constituencies

READ > Interviews with all the candidates in mid Cheshire and Tatton

Polls close at 10pm tonight, December 12.

To check your nearest polling station, see your poll card.

Keep up to date with the latest from the General Election throughout the night on the Guardian’s website.