Polls open for British snap election ahead of Brexit talks

LONDON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Polling stations across Britain opened early Thursday as voters started to make their decision in the snap general election dubbed by some media as the most crucial one in a generation.

The voting came weeks after the official start of the Brexit talks between London and Brussels.

The polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) as early risers and people on their way to work were among the first to cast their votes.

The voting is expected to end at 10 p.m. when the official counting will begin.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called the snap general election six weeks ago, when her party of the Conservatives held a working majority in the British House of Commons of just 17 seats and had a lead of over 10 percentage points suggested by some surveys.

But the Conservatives' lead over the Opposition Labor narrowed to a single digit after weeks of campaign, which has made the battle for 10 Downing Street unpredictable.