Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron attends a Britain Stronger In Europe event campaigning for people to vote to remain in the EU. Picture: AFP

Severe storms are likely to affect the number of those at the booths but officials still expect a record turnout for the divisive vote, which many have likened to a toxic and poisonous verbal civil war.

British newspapers have run dramatic front pages to highlight the significance of voting today at the nation’s 25,000 polling booths.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a speech at a Britain Stronger In Europe event campaigning for people to vote to remain in the EU. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

Last minute polls today have the Remain campaign fractionally ahead, averting what some have predicted could have led to a plunge in the value of the pound and a collapse of the financial markets.

A buoyant Boris Johnson, who led the Leave campaign, crisscrossed the county in a last minute pitch to voters although he bragged by tomorrow Britain would be celebrating independence day.

“This will not come again,” he said.

Brexit has been described as the ‘vote of a generation’. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

“Vote Leave, take back control of our country and our democracy and stick up for hundreds of millions of people around Europe who agree with us, who agree that the EU is going in the wrong direction.”

Prime Minister David Cameron, lobbying in Birmingham, reinforced his message that Britain was stronger and safer within the EU and said today represented “a choice of a lifetime” and older voters had to think of their children and grandchildren.

Supporters said he remained confident, despite recent polls, Britons would marginally vote “Remain”.

His chances of remaining in his own job — regardless of the voting outcome — are slim, given the divisive vote within his own party and threats from a minimum 50 Tory MPs threatening a no-confidence vote in his leadership.

Mr Cameron evoked the ghost of his wartime predecessor Winston Churchill for his campaign.

“The sort of Great Britain I want — an even greater country — doesn’t walk away, it doesn’t quit, it stands and it fights,” he said, adding Sir Winston didn’t give up on Europe or “walk away” from the union.

He added today was an “extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed the whole of Europe”.

His campaign suffered a last minute glitch when the European Commission leader Jean-Claude Juncker declared if Britain remained there would be no further concessions or reforms of rules governing nations within the EU. It has been some of these dictated rules notably on immigration and mandatory social welfare and benefits that has angered the British electorate.

“That conviction has deepened the whole time and just listening to someone like Juncker this evening just proves we are right,” Mr Johnson said.

Seasoned British political commentators said yesterday there had never been anything like this campaign and regardless of outcome, there would be fallout even if it was just to the political leadership and Cabinet structure.

“There are no precedents here even from the mid 1970s,” prominent Sky political commentator Faisal Islam said yesterday, referring to an era of marked political upheaval of economic crisis, strikes and social unrest.

Unashamed campaigner ... the Daily Mail.Source:Supplied

The UK papers have covered Brexit.Source:Supplied

HOW THE UK PAPERS COVERED BREXIT

Influential newspapers in UK carry sway with the reading population and all have carried lengthy editorials on the way readers should vote in the referendum and Brexit seems to carry the favour.

Populist The Sun newspaper set the tone last week with its front page editorial calling on voters to set themselves free of “dictatorial” Brussels, the EU capital.

The Daily Telegraph also urged voters to back Leave in order to “benefit from a world of opportunity”.

Few titles have resisted the urge to push one side of the campaign.Source:Supplied

The Guardian has backed the ‘Remain’ campaign.Source:Supplied

In an editorial, it said: “In supporting a vote to leave, we are not harking back to a Britannic golden age lost in the mists of time, but looking forward to a new beginning for our country. We are told it is a choice between fear and hope. If that is the case, then we choose hope.”

Its sister newspaper The Sunday Telegraph has also backed Brexit, stating “the Leave campaign has articulated an ambitious vision for Britain as an independent nation”.

The Sunday Times has said that, while better diplomacy might have rendered the referendum unnecessary, now the question is being put to the electorate, voting Leave would be the best way to stop increasing political and economic union.

The Scottish Daily Mail took a more moderate tone.Source:Supplied

The Daily Express has offered Brexit Posters for readers.Source:Supplied

The Guardian has called for a Remain vote while The Mail on Sunday and The Observer have also backed the Remain campaign, the latter declaring it was not the time to risk prosperity and peace.

The Times also wants the UK to stay in the EU, stating: “The best outcome of next week’s referendum would be a new alliance of sovereign EU nations dedicated to free trade and reform, led by Britain.”

The Daily Mirror has said Britain would be a “poorer country” if it voted to quit the EU and the Independent has insisted that a vote to Remain is “not a vote of cowardice but of confidence”.

The Financial Times has told readers that now is “no time to revert to Little England”.

The Sun has been unapologetic in its championing of the Leave case.Source:Supplied

The Irish Independent came out in favour of the Remain case.Source:Supplied