WITH the UK heading back to the polls on December 12, we have taken a look at what has happened in recent votes in Bracknell.

There are two parliamentary constituencies which are in or cross over into Bracknell Forest: Bracknell and Windsor.

They all elected Conservative MPs in the last general election, held in June 2017.

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The Conservatives took the largest share of the vote – 61.6 per cent in total, ahead of Labour with 26.6 per cent and the Lib Dems with 8.8 per cent.

This contrasted with the picture in the European Parliament elections in May, the most recent occasion on which the country went to the polls, when the Brexit Party took 37.3 per cent of the vote in Bracknell local authority area, the largest share.

The Lib Dems finished second, with 23.8 per cent, and the Conservatives third with 12.7 per cent.

The South East – the EU constituency in which Bracknell Forest lies – returned four Brexit Party MEPs, three Liberal Democrats, one Labour, one Green and one Conservative to Brussels in May.

However, turnout was much lower in those elections – while 71.9 per cent of the electorate came out to vote across the two constituencies in 2017, just 35.0 per cent did in the local authority for the European Parliament elections this year.

Both those turnouts, however, were beaten by that for the referendum on the topic which will dominate December’s general election: Brexit.

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Many commentators think that a decision between leaving and remaining in the European Union will form the basis for many voters’ choices in polling booths this year, rather than traditional party lines.

The major parties have each made significantly different pledges for the UK's departure.

While the Conservatives have said they will push through a departure on the terms of the deal Prime Minister Boris Johnson has negotiated, the Labour Party has said it will agree a closer alignment with the EU and hold a second referendum on its deal against the option to remain.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to immediately revoke Article 50, keeping the UK in the EU, while the Brexit Party will pursue a "no-deal" departure.

The Brexit referendum in 2016 brought more voters to the polls across the UK than any referendum or general election in 24 years.

In Bracknell Forest, 76.1 per cent of the electorate voted, with a majority in favour of leaving the EU, with 53.9 per cent of the vote.

The EU Referendum result in Bracknell Forest in June 2016

Remain: 29,888 (46.1%)

Leave: 35,002 (53.9%)

Top three parties in Bracknell Forest for the European Parliament in May

The Brexit Party: 37.3%

The Lib Dems: 23.8%

The Conservatives: 12.7%