THE country is set for the closest election in decades if a mock ballot staged at a North East academy reflects the nation’s mood.
Labour pipped the Conservatives by just six votes with the Green Party holding the balance of power with the third largest poll at The King's Academy, in Coulby Newham.
The Liberal Democrats were pushed into fourth position ahead of UKIP by a single vote in the mock election staged by staff and sixth formers.
Over the past few weeks, a host of 'real' prospective parliamentary candidates have been visiting the academy to talk to students and answer their questions.
Head girl Paige Cope and head boy Ben Rowden organised the election setting up two polling stations and printing scores of ballot papers.
For the students it was the first time they had been able to experience exercising a constitutional right and for some the election was a taste of what is to come as they vote for real for the first time on Thursday.
Politics teacher Jenni Yuill said: “Students have really enjoyed the whole process, hearing the arguments of the candidates and experiencing what it is like to vote. We had a 99 per cent turnout.
“Voting for the first time is so exciting and also daunting and at least now those who are eligible will feel more comfortable turning up on Thursday to cast their vote.”
Ben said: “It has seemed a very long build up to the election because the date was set by the end of the fixed term. At times it has dragged but on the eve of the election I am really excited about voting for the first time.”
Paige added: “It would not surprise me if the result of our poll reflected the result of the real election which we all think is going to be a very close run thing. In the queue to vote students were still undecided and I believe that could be said for the nation at large.”