In one hour’s time the polls will close in the Rochdale by-election, an electoral show-down already being dubbed the most divisive and chaotic by-election in modern British political history.
Labour had hoped that a quick by-election after the sad death of previous MP Sir Tony Lloyd would prevent the poll becoming a bad-tempered circus fought around the divisions of the Israel/Gaza war.
However George Galloway, who previously dealt two crushing election defeats to Labour in 2005 and 2012, quickly ensured the battle turned into Sir Keir Starmer’s worst nightmare.
The subsequent chaos around Labour’s own candidate Azhar Ali, after it was revealed he claimed Israel allowed the Octover 7 massacre to happen, left shadow cabinet members having to call on voters to spoil their ballot.
Meanwhile the constituency’s former Labour MP, Simon Danczuk, shocked Westminster after being unveiled as Reform UK’s candidate.
Follow all the events in real-time below…
