UK election weather forecast: Ice warnings in place as public prepare to cast votes in freezing conditions

Britons are facing a cold and wet general election day with severe weather warnings in place and ice and wintry showers expected in some regions.

Forecasters said surfaces and roads could be slippery, and advised people to take care when walking or driving, as voters prepare to head to the ballot box from 7am on Thursday.

The sun will still be down and freezing temperatures will be gripping the country as the polls open, with two Yellow alerts for ice in place in Scotland until 10am.

The larger of two alerts includes large parts of one of the closest election fights in the country - Perth and North Perthshire, where the SNP is defending a majority of just 21.

And politicians standing in seats not affected by the severe weather warnings have expressed concern that the weather could still affect the vote.

Wendy Chamberlain, who is standing as a Liberal Democrat in North East Fife, said: "There is one part of the constituency near the north, Gauldry, and we were going up it and I said if it's snowing on December 12 this is probably a place we're not getting to.

Aside from the Scotland forecast, meteorologists are not expecting bad conditions in any other parts of the country on polling day.

Met Office forecaster Oli Claydon said: "It's looking unsettled for most, but that's nothing unusual for the time of year."

He added: “On Thursday it will be wet, windy and feeling chilly. The day will start dry but cloudy, especially in the east. Then it will become wet and breezy as a front moves from the west. Behind that it will be clear with showers during the evening.”

Temperatures will struggle to get out of the single figures, with London forecasted to hit nine degrees, and Plymouth could see the mercury hit 11.

Winds could hit 12 knots - roughly 30 miles per hour - and there could be as much as 10mm of rain in some areas.

On Friday, the UK could wake up to a new government, but the weather will be more of the same. Mr Claydon added: “It will continue to be unsettled, wet and windy. The rainy showers from Thursday will continue across the country.”