Voters across south-east London and north Kent are set to go to the polls today (June 23) to decide whether the UK should remain in the European Union.

Both sides of the referendum campaign have been locked in fierce fighting for months, and things came to a frenetic close on Wednesday as senior politicians travelled across the country to try and sway undecided voters in the historic referendum.

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Polling stations are now open

The Remain campaign, led by David Cameron, has repeatedly stressed that the UK is "stronger, safer and better off" inside the EU.

Remain campaigners have warned of the potentially severe economic consequences of a Brexit vote amid fears of financial market turmoil and another recession.

Leave campaigners, led by former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, have urged voters to "take back control" of the country.

They believe a split from Brussels would give the UK more money to spend on national issues like funding the NHS as well as giving the Government the ability to control the nation's borders and levels of immigration.

Mr Johnson has suggested that June 23 could be remembered as the UK's "independence day".

Dozens of celebrities have intervened during the course of the campaign to make their feelings known.

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Footballer David Beckham, James Bond actor Daniel Craig and Harry Potter author JK Rowling were just three of the high profile names to back the Remain campaign, while Leave won support from the likes of comedian John Cleese, former cricketer Sir Ian Botham and former England football player Sol Campbell.

The polls in the run-up to the big day have suggested the referendum result is on a knife-edge, with neither side able to surge ahead in the final weeks.

A record number of voters are eligible to take part in the referendum with the Electoral Commission putting the number at 46,499,537.

A last-minute surge to register crashed the Government's website hours before the deadline on June 7, prompting a 48-hour extension.

Polling stations opened at 7am and will close at 10pm.