Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to Supreme Court amid widespread outcry over sexual assault allegations – as it happened

Melania Trump has offered her support to Brett Kavanaugh ahead of the vote on his confirmation expected this afternoon.

“I think he's highly qualified for the Supreme Court,” the first lady told reporters travelling with her in Egypt on the final leg of her four-country tour of Africa.

She added she was glad both Mr Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, one of the women accusing the judge of sexual assault, were both heard during the course of the confirmation process.

But, without weighing in on the claims of sexual misconduct levelled against Mr Kavanaugh, Ms Trump said victims of “any kind of abuse of violence” must be helped.

Donald Trump has tweeted for the first time on Saturday, to claim supporters of his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who the president describes as a "very good man", are gathering on Capitol Hill ahead of today's vote.

"It is a beautiful thing to see - and they are not paid professional protesters who are handed expensive signs. Big day for America!" Mr Trump adds.

Speaking at the hearing currently underway, Democratic senator from New York Kirsten Gillibrand has described Brett Kavanaugh's expected appointment to the Supreme Court will mark a “painful day” for America.

“Today is a painful day for millions of women across the country, who are worried about losing their basic civil rights,” she said.

“It’s a painful day for survivors who have had to relive their trauma and it is also a painful day for men who hope to see this Senate stand on the right side of history.

“In a few hours, the US Senate is going to turn its back on righteousness, it is going to turn its back its back on fairness and reason and make no mistake, it’s going to turn its back on women.”

The closest vote in history?

The outcome of the Senate vote confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is likely to be close, although there is now little question over what the eventual result will be.

It is thought enough senators will support for the judge to give him a two-vote margin of victory – but would that be the closest vote on a Supreme Court nominee in history?

In fact, the closest confirmation votes for a Supreme Court nominee were decided by a single senator.

In 1881, Justice Stanley Matthews prevailed in a vote of 24 to 23. In 1861, nominee Jeremiah Black was defeated by a vote of 26 to 25.

However, there have also been narrow votes in more recent times - the confirmation of Clarence Thomas in 1991 was the closest of any of the current Supreme Court justices, passing 52 to 48 with a margin of just four.

Samuel Alito, a judge often considered on of the most conservative currently sitting on the bench, was appointed following another relatively close vote of 58 to 42 after his nomination by George W Bush in 2006.

Robert Post, the former dean of Yale Law school, where Brett Kavanaugh studied, has said that the judge has "stoked the fires of partisan rage and male entitlement" and he will now remain a "symbol of partisan anger". 

"His performance is indelibly etched in the public mind. For as long as Kavanaugh sits on the court, he will remain a symbol of partisan anger, a haunting reminder that behind the smiling face of judicial benevolence lies the force of an urgent will to power," he wrote in Politico. 

The final vote is scheduled to take place at approximately 3:30pm EST. 

Once confirmed, Mr Kavanaugh's appointment will be a big victory for Donald Trump and what many sexual assault survivors have said is a demoralising hit to the #metoo social justice movement. 

Mr Trump joins the list of presidents in American history who have been able to place two Supreme Court Justices. He has also done it faster than any of them, shy of two years in office. 

Mr Trump celebrated his win on Twitter. 

Sitting Justice Elena Kagan has expressed concern over the all-but-guaranteed appointment of Mr Kavanaugh. 

At a Princeton University women's conference yesterday, Ms Kagan commented on losing the more centrist Justice Anthony Kennedy and replacing him with right-wing Mr Kavanaugh: “It’s not so clear, that I think going forward, that sort of middle position — it's not so clear whether we’ll have it". 

"All of us need to be aware of that — every single one of us — and to realize how precious the court’s legitimacy is. It's an incredibly important thing for the court to guard is this reputation of being impartial, being neutral and not being simply an extension of a terribly polarising process," she said. 

Here is Republican Senator Susan Collins' speech on why she decided to vote "yes" on Mr Kavanaugh despite fierce protesting from sexual assault survivors and thousands of women. 

Well before the announcement, an activist group in her home state of Maine had pledged they would fundraise against Ms Collins' yet-to-be-named opponent in her 2020 re-election bid. 

The crowdfunding campaign has already raised more than $3m (£2.3m) in less than 24 hours. 

You can watch our livestream of the continuing Senate debate leading up to the vote as divisions are split along party lines and each Senator is stating their reasons for voting yes or no on Mr Kavanaugh. 

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin was also a key vote. He had remained publicly undecided until moments after Ms Collins' dramatic announcement. 

Protesters tried to drown him out as he spoke with journalists outside of his Capitol Hill office, shouting "Shame!" repeatedly and asking "What is wrong with you?!" 

While many Democrats were disappointed in Mr Manchin, others have noted it may be better in the long run for his re-election bid next month in the "red" Republican state of West Virginia - meaning at least there could be one more Democrat in the Senate for the next six years. 

Read more here about the electoral and political reasons he may have done it.