:00:00. > :00:08.We're at Westminster, on the day the United Kingdom
:00:09. > :00:12.started the process of leaving the European Union.
:00:13. > :00:14.Britain's Ambassador in Brussels handed over Theresa May's
:00:15. > :00:15.letter to the President of the European Council
:00:16. > :00:22.The Prime Minister told MPs that there would be 'consequences'
:00:23. > :00:24.in leaving the European Union, but she was aiming for a 'smooth
:00:25. > :00:30.Britain is leaving the European Union.
:00:31. > :00:33.We are going to make our own decisions and our own laws.
:00:34. > :00:36.We are going to take control of the things
:00:37. > :00:41.In Brussels, the EU's negotiating team declared itself ready
:00:42. > :00:46.for the challenge ahead - amid promises of a united front.
:00:47. > :00:51.Brexit has made us - the community of 27 -
:00:52. > :00:56.more determined and more united than before.
:00:57. > :00:59.We'll be in Dover, which voted strongly to leave the EU,
:01:00. > :01:04.asking people for their thoughts on the start of the Brexit process.
:01:05. > :01:07.You've got to carry on, it's started now, so it's
:01:08. > :01:11.Well, it will take more than two years, more than five years,
:01:12. > :01:13.because look how long that they talk about it.
:01:14. > :01:19.We've just got to go in and show them that we do mean business.
:01:20. > :01:21.And we'll be looking at the Prime Minister's hint
:01:22. > :01:23.that cooperation on security is closely linked
:01:24. > :01:28.Also tonight, a reminder of the security threat
:01:29. > :01:32.A crowd converges on Westminster Bridge, to remember the victims
:01:33. > :01:41.of the terror attack which took place here a week ago.
:01:42. > :01:43.We'll have more reaction and opinion to today's historic events,
:01:44. > :01:46.as the Prime Minister triggers Britain's exit from Europe.
:01:47. > :01:49.We'll hear from politicians, business and members of the public.
:01:50. > :02:14.The United Kingdom has formally served notice that it's
:02:15. > :02:27.A letter signed by Theresa May was handed to the president of the
:02:28. > :02:30.European Council today. The Prime Minister told MPs
:02:31. > :02:32.she wanted a smooth and orderly Brexit, but she also hinted
:02:33. > :02:34.of implications for security cooperation
:02:35. > :02:36.if a deal was not reached. And in a potential
:02:37. > :02:38.setback for Mrs May... The German chancellor Angela Merkel
:02:39. > :02:40.has warned that the terms of Britain's divorce have to be
:02:41. > :02:46.settled, before any talks Our political editor Laura
:02:47. > :02:49.Kuenssberg reports on the day that Article 50 was triggered.
:02:50. > :02:52.The minute in Westminster, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff
:02:53. > :02:56.that the United Kingdom formally changed course.
:02:57. > :03:00.The Article 50 process is now underway and in accordance
:03:01. > :03:03.with the wishes of the British people, the United Kingdom
:03:04. > :03:09.This is an historic moment from which there can
:03:10. > :03:16.Probably our last ambassador inside the European Union handing
:03:17. > :03:24.The document that says we are on our way out.
:03:25. > :03:27.Theresa May's signature on our departure.
:03:28. > :03:35.A country that goes out into the world to build
:03:36. > :03:38.relationships with old friends and new allies alike.
:03:39. > :03:41.And that is why I have set out a clear and ambitious plan
:03:42. > :03:46.It is a plan for a new, deep and special partnership between
:03:47. > :03:55.Her decisions about how, mean we are out of the single market
:03:56. > :04:00.As European leaders have said many times, we cannot cherry pick
:04:01. > :04:02.and remain members of the single market without accepting the four
:04:03. > :04:10.A friendlier tone to the continent, an ambition to bring
:04:11. > :04:17.And no cliff edge, no abrupt change for business.
:04:18. > :04:21.But Mr Speaker, when I sit around the negotiating table in the months
:04:22. > :04:23.ahead I will represent every person in the United Kingdom,
:04:24. > :04:26.young and old, rich and poor, city, town, country and all the villages
:04:27. > :04:31.And, yes, those EU nationals that have made this country their home.
:04:32. > :04:35.And it is my fierce determination to get the right deal for every
:04:36. > :04:42.In perhaps the most important letter that she'll ever pen,
:04:43. > :04:45.the Prime Minister wrote of her hope to give reassurance quickly
:04:46. > :04:50.to the millions of EU citizens who live here and Brits abroad.
:04:51. > :04:52."We should always put our citizens first, we should aim
:04:53. > :04:54.to strike an early agreement about their rights."
:04:55. > :04:58.The Prime Minister wants a free trade deal with the EU of greater
:04:59. > :05:09.A bold hope, seen as naive by some, to try to protect firms who do
:05:10. > :05:12.business around the continent from new rules and barriers.
:05:13. > :05:14.No overt threat to walk away but a serious warning -
:05:15. > :05:16.a failure to reach agreement would mean our co-operation
:05:17. > :05:19.in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened.
:05:20. > :05:22.We must work hard to avoid that outcome.
:05:23. > :05:29.She wants also to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside
:05:30. > :05:33.those of our withdrawal from the EU, to work out how we leave at the same
:05:34. > :05:40.Labour aren't the only ones sceptical she can deliver.
:05:41. > :05:44.If the Prime Minister can deliver a deal that meets our tests,
:05:45. > :05:51.More than ever, Britain needs a government that will deliver
:05:52. > :05:53.for the whole country, not just the few.
:05:54. > :05:55.And that is the ultimate test of the Brexit deal
:05:56. > :05:57.that the Prime Minister must now secure.
:05:58. > :06:01.Memories of today will be so different.
:06:02. > :06:09.Even though that's not actually the Foreign Secretary.
:06:10. > :06:12.And celebrations after hours tonight.
:06:13. > :06:23.That's the sense in the home of the EU.
:06:24. > :06:26.There's no reason to pretend that this is a happy day,
:06:27. > :06:33.Some powers coming back from Brussels will bypass this place
:06:34. > :06:38.and flow to Holyrood, Cardiff and Stormont.
:06:39. > :06:40.But for Remainers here and in the Scottish Government those
:06:41. > :06:44.The Prime Minister still can't answer basic questions
:06:45. > :06:46.about what Brexit will mean for businesses, the economy
:06:47. > :06:51.generally and for the type of society we live in.
:06:52. > :06:54.This six simple pages will do much to determine our place
:06:55. > :07:01.The letter is less abrasive in tone to the rest of the EU
:07:02. > :07:04.than when Theresa May started as Prime Minister, when she still
:07:05. > :07:08.had to persuade her party she really was committed to leaving.
:07:09. > :07:10.Now the clamour of the referendum is gone, the tone is
:07:11. > :07:14.The message of the letter, "Get real.
:07:15. > :07:24.Remember, we bring a lot to the table when it comes to policing,
:07:25. > :07:29.It wasn't firing a shot but she was just making a reminder,
:07:30. > :07:35.I think it is exciting but I don't underestimate the scale
:07:36. > :07:37.of the task that lies ahead in the next two years.
:07:38. > :07:39.What has happened today is the biggest stimulation
:07:40. > :07:43.of British power and sovereignty in my lifetime.
:07:44. > :07:46.A letter which is really about kicking off a trade
:07:47. > :07:47.negotiation had six mentions of trade and 11
:07:48. > :07:53.It struck me as a reckless series of threats.
:07:54. > :07:56.Not that he ever needs a reason to be pictured with a pint,
:07:57. > :08:03.Today, for me, after 25 years of campaigning,
:08:04. > :08:06.the impossible dream came true, I'm very pleased.
:08:07. > :08:15.What matters now is that we make sure we have a successful
:08:16. > :08:18.negotiation and we try to maintain a close relationship between Britain
:08:19. > :08:21.In a rare interview inside Number Ten For The Bbc,
:08:22. > :08:23.the Prime Minister promised, despite all the difficulties,
:08:24. > :08:26.our relationship with the rest of the continent will be
:08:27. > :08:33.What we are both looking for is that comprehensive free trade agreement
:08:34. > :08:35.which gives that ability to trade freely into the European
:08:36. > :08:39.single market and for them to trade with us.
:08:40. > :08:42.It will be a different relationship but I think it can have the same
:08:43. > :08:44.benefits in terms of that free access to trade.
:08:45. > :08:48.An assertion that will take a lot to prove.
:08:49. > :08:50.One her counterparts in Europe struggle to believe.
:08:51. > :08:53.Number Ten's time for preparation is up, now time to try to persuade.
:08:54. > :09:02.Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News, Westminster.
:09:03. > :09:04.Chancellor Merkel of Germany warned today that sorting
:09:05. > :09:07.out Britain's future trade deal with the EU would only be possible
:09:08. > :09:09.once the terms of Britain's departure had been settled.
:09:10. > :09:11.The President of the European Council - Donald Tusk -
:09:12. > :09:17.said the remaining member states would pull together
:09:18. > :09:20.And he confirmed he would set out his planned negotiating
:09:21. > :09:22.guidelines on Friday, ahead of a special
:09:23. > :09:26.With her assessment of the view at the heart of the European Union,
:09:27. > :09:29.here's our Europe editor Katya Adler.
:09:30. > :09:32.The man with the burning letter in his briefcase.
:09:33. > :09:38.Sir Tim Barrow arrived without much fanfare at the
:09:39. > :09:42.European Council building this morning.
:09:43. > :09:46.But this isn't just an historic day for the UK.
:09:47. > :09:49.For the EU, it is a momentous, never to be
:09:50. > :09:54.Visibly unhappy, this was the recipient of
:09:55. > :09:58.Britain's letter starting the Brexit process.
:09:59. > :10:05.Donald Tusk, the man who represent all EU member
:10:06. > :10:12.There is nothing to win in this process, and I'm talking about
:10:13. > :10:21.European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was
:10:22. > :10:33.But beneath that sadness, palpable resentment among
:10:34. > :10:36.some EU leaders today that Theresa May appeared in her letter
:10:37. > :10:40.to link the likelihood of a good trade deal,
:10:41. > :10:44.so hoped for by Britain, with continued cooperation on security,
:10:45. > :10:54.I think that irrespective of what an agreement
:10:55. > :10:58.can be, what sort of agreement you can do on trade at the end
:10:59. > :11:00.of the day, we remain part of the same family
:11:01. > :11:04.and we should remain committed to fighting terrorism.
:11:05. > :11:09.Well, the European Commission is the lead negotiator
:11:10. > :11:16.Frans Timmermans is the commission's vice president.
:11:17. > :11:18.But how can negotiations even start, I wondered,
:11:19. > :11:22.The UK wants divorce talks and talks of
:11:23. > :11:28.The commission says non - divorce comes first.
:11:29. > :11:30.That is all part of how we negotiate.
:11:31. > :11:35.Everybody starts with his own interest and tries to
:11:36. > :11:37.formulate his own interest in the best possible way.
:11:38. > :11:41.So what's the problem in having parallel talks, talking about
:11:42. > :11:43.trade at the same time as divorce, for example?
:11:44. > :11:46.The position of the EU will be determined on the basis of
:11:47. > :11:52.careful analysis of Theresa May's letter.
:11:53. > :11:55.There can be no future settlement if we are not clear on
:11:56. > :11:58.how the divorce settlement is going to be.
:11:59. > :12:04.To make two years of complex negotiations even thornier, the UK
:12:05. > :12:06.isn't talking just to the European Commission.
:12:07. > :12:09.The real power behind the throne lies in the EU capitals,
:12:10. > :12:20.They will take any big political decisions for the EU when it comes
:12:21. > :12:23.They don't and won't always agree with one another.
:12:24. > :12:27.And the Article 50 time frame is very, very tight.
:12:28. > :12:31.Divisions there may be, but when it comes to the loaded issue of
:12:32. > :12:33.parallel trade and divorce talks, Europe's most powerful leader agrees
:12:34. > :12:41.with the European Commission. Much to demonstrate's dismay.
:12:42. > :12:45.TRANSLATION: In the negotiations we first have to sort out how we can
:12:46. > :12:50.Only when that has been settled, hopefully soon after, we can speak
:12:51. > :12:59.Chancellor Merkel also stressed the importance of deciding the fate
:13:00. > :13:03.of EU citizens living in the UK, and British citizens
:13:04. > :13:08.Thankful for one issue at least to unite around.
:13:09. > :13:18.Let's assess the significance of today and what lies ahead.
:13:19. > :13:21.In a moment we'll speak to our Europe editor
:13:22. > :13:23.Katya Adler in Brussels, but first our political editor
:13:24. > :13:30.What have we learned today about what the next two years are going to
:13:31. > :13:35.bring? I think the tone of Theresa May's letter which was, we love you,
:13:36. > :13:38.but we're very sorry we're leaving, tells us she is worried enough about
:13:39. > :13:43.the resistance she will face, she knows she has to butter them up. She
:13:44. > :13:47.had to set out a more conservatory tone that show she's aware this is
:13:48. > :13:50.going to be very difficult and also plenty of hints in their shoes where
:13:51. > :13:55.there will have to be give and take, compromise. That's not what he's
:13:56. > :13:58.been the tone in the days and months since the referendum. It is also
:13:59. > :14:02.very clear she's not just going to play nice. The fact Theresa May gave
:14:03. > :14:07.the issue of security such prominence in the letter to other EU
:14:08. > :14:10.leaders today was notable. She's made this point before, privately to
:14:11. > :14:41.EU leaders and publicly as well, but the way in which it was given
:14:42. > :14:43.such prominence in the letter has certainly been controversial, has
:14:44. > :14:45.raised eyebrows somewhere. One Cabinet minister said to me, these
:14:46. > :14:47.are our cards, these are our strengths and we shouldn't be
:14:48. > :14:49.surprised the Prime Minister is, in what will be a tough negotiation,
:14:50. > :14:52.willing to flex that particular muscle. We've also seen today and
:14:53. > :14:54.early glimpse of the kind of resistance she knows she's going to
:14:55. > :14:57.face. W e will talk later, thank stakes as we know are very high for
:14:58. > :15:00.the UK but this is not without straight to Brussels. The stakes as
:15:01. > :15:03.we know are very high for the UK but this is not without risk for from.
:15:04. > :15:06.Absolutely. You saw the grim face of Donald Tusk, the president of the
:15:07. > :15:09.European Council as he received that letter from his heavy heart, the
:15:10. > :15:13.fact this is such a huge moment for the EU, that was playing for
:15:14. > :15:17.everybody to beginning, there are no upside for the while in the UK there
:15:18. > :15:20.are many who see Brexit as a cause of celebration, a chance for a new
:15:21. > :15:23.beginning, there are no upsides for the it is losing an influential
:15:24. > :15:31.member with a powerful economy, one of the to the EU budget and one two
:15:32. > :15:36.military mites in do so what will it is the big concern for the EU. While
:15:37. > :15:41.EU leaders defiantly say now through Brexit they will unite even closer,
:15:42. > :15:45.the fact is this is an already weakened EU whose members fall out
:15:46. > :15:48.over funding, over migration and, without Britain? That is the big
:15:49. > :15:50.concern for the EU. While EU leaders defiantly say now through Brexit
:15:51. > :15:52.they will unite even closer, the fact is this is an already weakened
:15:53. > :15:56.EU whose members fall out over funding, over migration the euro. So
:15:57. > :16:01.how can they stay united over something as complicated as Brexit
:16:02. > :16:05.when each country has its own more likely to want to Poland for example
:16:06. > :16:09.will want to safeguard the rights of its citizens who live in the UK, so
:16:10. > :16:11.it may be more likely to want to appease Germany is putting politics
:16:12. > :16:13.ensure the integrity of the European Union and single market. It wants to
:16:14. > :16:20.ensure the integrity of the European Union and single has the upper there
:16:21. > :16:24.is one ray of sunshine for the EU. It believes it has the upper hand
:16:25. > :16:25.because unlike the UK it is not under such time pressure to get a
:16:26. > :16:29.deal done. The Brexit clock started ticking
:16:30. > :16:33.from the moment the letter was delivered to Brussels today,
:16:34. > :16:35.and the parties will have two years to conclude negotiations
:16:36. > :16:37.on Britain's exit. On Friday, the European Council
:16:38. > :16:40.will set out its proposals A month later -
:16:41. > :16:45.at a special EU summit - the other 27 member states
:16:46. > :16:48.will debate and then be asked The talking will then start,
:16:49. > :16:55.but big decisions may have to wait till after the French and German
:16:56. > :16:58.elections held in May and September. The negotiations should finish
:16:59. > :17:03.by October next year, when the UK and EU parliaments
:17:04. > :17:07.would both vote on the final deal. That's the plan, but the path ahead
:17:08. > :17:10.is uncertain and there Our diplomatic correspondent
:17:11. > :17:15.James Robbins has been looking at the challenges ahead,
:17:16. > :17:20.as the negotiations get underway. The Europe which Britain married
:17:21. > :17:22.into over 40 years ago looked Just nine states in a predominantly
:17:23. > :17:29.economic community. Steadily membership grew,
:17:30. > :17:31.the ties that bind reached further The project became more political,
:17:32. > :17:36.the union ever deeper, until British voters
:17:37. > :17:40.opted for divorce. But that very complexity
:17:41. > :17:43.makes cutting the ties and agreeing the divorce
:17:44. > :17:47.terms funamentally difficult. The divorce rule, the famous
:17:48. > :17:50.Article 50, was written by veteran diplomat Lord Kerr,
:17:51. > :17:53.so I asked him to describe the scale This is the biggest event
:17:54. > :18:00.in our post-war history. If you're building a transition
:18:01. > :18:03.you need to know where If you're building a bridge,
:18:04. > :18:07.where is it going to So we have to be clear
:18:08. > :18:11.about what kind of country When the Brexit negotiations
:18:12. > :18:15.eventually begin, around the table the key players will be led
:18:16. > :18:19.on the British side by David Davies, the Cabinet minister in charge
:18:20. > :18:23.of exiting the European Union. He will try to ensure the bargaining
:18:24. > :18:25.settles both the divorce and the new framework for future
:18:26. > :18:30.relations with the EU. Facing him on the EU side,
:18:31. > :18:33.Michel Barnier, former French Foreign Minister,
:18:34. > :18:35.with his team representing the Commission and the remaining
:18:36. > :18:39.27 member states. Time is already very
:18:40. > :18:41.short to agree so much. Some think the crunch will come
:18:42. > :18:45.in autumn next year. They have a vast agenda
:18:46. > :18:47.to work through. Here are just a handful
:18:48. > :18:50.of the issues. The rights of EU citizens living
:18:51. > :18:53.in the UK and of British nationals The UK's future access, if any,
:18:54. > :18:58.to the single market, with the UK controlling its own
:18:59. > :19:03.borders and immigration. And then the big question
:19:04. > :19:06.of the divorce bill. Some say the UK may be required
:19:07. > :19:11.to pay over ?50 billion. Britain's longest serving official
:19:12. > :19:14.inside the European Commission, Jonathan Faull, says a bargain
:19:15. > :19:18.will have to be struck. The UK can't duck
:19:19. > :19:21.its responsibilities. The fundamental principle
:19:22. > :19:23.is a very simple one. It is that the EU, with the UK
:19:24. > :19:26.in it, has made financial And some of those commitments
:19:27. > :19:34.stretch well into the future. Investment projects,
:19:35. > :19:40.infrastructure projects and so on. Arguably the most important issue
:19:41. > :19:43.to be resolved will be Britain's post-Brexit trade with the EU,
:19:44. > :19:49.and not just in goods. Securing the City of London
:19:50. > :19:51.and Britain's enormous trade in financial services
:19:52. > :19:55.could be even harder. All this worries some,
:19:56. > :19:58.but not leading pro-Leavers. Now, of course, as we go
:19:59. > :20:01.into the negotiations, both sides will try and pretend
:20:02. > :20:03.they're in the strongest position, but the Government's got some
:20:04. > :20:06.key cards in its hands. Not least the fact we've got a huge
:20:07. > :20:09.trade deficit with the EU. So I think the Government will be
:20:10. > :20:12.able to leave the single market, leave the customs union and get
:20:13. > :20:17.the free trade deal they want. That's just one confident
:20:18. > :20:19.assertion about to be tested In the negotiations,
:20:20. > :20:25.cutting many UK/EU ties while trying to hang onto others
:20:26. > :20:29.will be difficult. Both Britain and the EU
:20:30. > :20:31.say they want to remain But the process
:20:32. > :20:35.could get very rough. Today's process has major
:20:36. > :20:42.implications for every part of the United Kingdom,
:20:43. > :20:44.and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
:20:45. > :20:46.there are specific circumstances In a moment we'll hear from our
:20:47. > :20:53.Ireland correspondent Chris Buckler at Stormont and Sian Lloyd
:20:54. > :20:56.at the National Assembly in Cardiff, but first let's hear
:20:57. > :21:10.from our Scotland editor In Edinburgh, First Minister Nicola
:21:11. > :21:14.Sturgeon is writing a letter of her own, one that will be addressed to
:21:15. > :21:18.Theresa May making a formal request for a referendum on Scottish
:21:19. > :21:21.independence. She knows what the answer will be, Theresa May will
:21:22. > :21:25.tell her that can be no discussions about another referendum until after
:21:26. > :21:30.the Brexit deal is done and Scottish voters have had a chance to see the
:21:31. > :21:34.consequences of that. Nicola Sturgeon said today that she wishes
:21:35. > :21:40.Theresa May success with the becoming a negotiations because she
:21:41. > :21:48.says a good deal for the UK is in Scotland's interests, but she did
:21:49. > :21:51.not sound optimistic when she said the Prime Minister was taking a leap
:21:52. > :21:53.in the dark. The Scottish Government have not been terribly impressed by
:21:54. > :21:55.the promise from Westminster that there will be significantly
:21:56. > :21:57.increased powers for the Scottish parliament because they say they
:21:58. > :22:03.have had no detail or commitment on which powers will be returned to
:22:04. > :22:08.Holyrood after Brexit, so that is one more major political arguments
:22:09. > :22:11.yet to come. There was a protest at Stormont
:22:12. > :22:15.involving people living in the towns and villages close to the Irish
:22:16. > :22:19.border. They put in place customs checkpoint at the entry to this
:22:20. > :22:23.state. They wanted to raise concerns there could be a physical presence
:22:24. > :22:28.at that invisible dividing line wants it becomes the UK's only land
:22:29. > :22:33.border EU country. At the moment people trouble between Northern
:22:34. > :22:37.Ireland and the republic for work, to trade and to access services like
:22:38. > :22:40.health care. Both governments have said they are committed to keeping
:22:41. > :22:43.the roads open and the European Parliament said they were not
:22:44. > :22:48.prepared to tolerate a hard border on this island and would do nothing
:22:49. > :22:53.but jeopardise the peace process, something Theresa May referred to in
:22:54. > :22:57.her letter today. But Brexit is divisive at Stormont. The
:22:58. > :23:02.power-sharing Government has collapsed. Brexit was not
:23:03. > :23:07.responsible for that but it can fuel political divisions. Certainly Irish
:23:08. > :23:10.republicans have listened to what Sarah talked about, the push for an
:23:11. > :23:14.independence referendum in Scotland. They point out that Northern Ireland
:23:15. > :23:21.voted to stay in the EU and Sinn Fein is calling for a border poll, a
:23:22. > :23:25.referendum on Irish unity. Speaking inside the Senedd this
:23:26. > :23:29.afternoon, the tone of the response from the Welsh First Minister Carwyn
:23:30. > :23:33.Jones was really one of frustration. He said it was deeply regrettable
:23:34. > :23:38.that the Welsh Government was not able to contribute to the Article 50
:23:39. > :23:42.letter and also, he said, that the devolved administrations had been
:23:43. > :23:47.sidelined and shown a lack of respect. He said that he had already
:23:48. > :23:53.voiced his concerns over the future of subsidies at the moment, some of
:23:54. > :23:58.Wales' poorest communities share in ?2 billion of aid. The leader of the
:23:59. > :24:02.Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies has accused him of scaremongering
:24:03. > :24:04.over that. Theresa May said that the specific interests of the nations
:24:05. > :24:07.will be taken into account. Our Wales correspondent
:24:08. > :24:09.Sian Lloyd there, and our Ireland Correspondent Chris Buckler
:24:10. > :24:11.at Stormont and Scotland Editor The referendum that led
:24:12. > :24:16.to the sending of today's letter and the start of the Brexit process
:24:17. > :24:19.was one of biggest democratic 33.5 million people took part,
:24:20. > :24:24.revealing a nation deeply divided on the future of Britain's
:24:25. > :24:26.relationship with Our home editor Mark Easton
:24:27. > :24:47.is in Dover tonight, I am on top of the white Cliffs of
:24:48. > :24:53.Dover. You might even be able to see the lights of France Tink Daesh
:24:54. > :24:58.twinkling in the different 's... Distance. -- you might even be able
:24:59. > :24:59.to see the lights of France twinkling in the distance.
:25:00. > :25:02.Huw, this is an event that prompts very different emotions in people.
:25:03. > :25:04.With the help of Britain Thinks, experts in public opinion,
:25:05. > :25:08.we have tried to understand how the UK feels on this historic day -
:25:09. > :25:12.The ancient town of Dover reminds us of our closeness to mainland Europe,
:25:13. > :25:15.In the Town Hall, festooned with relics of Britain's complex
:25:16. > :25:17.relationship with the lands across the Channel, we have
:25:18. > :25:24.What's your emotion right now with Article 50?
:25:25. > :25:28.Yes, we're doing a step forward, you know?
:25:29. > :25:31.We're not going to be told what we can and can't do.
:25:32. > :25:34.We've been waiting for this for a long time, and it's like we're
:25:35. > :25:41.You're an EU citizen, so how do you feel about it all?
:25:42. > :25:44.As a European, are we going to be secure enough to stay in this
:25:45. > :25:54.It's up to Europe what they agree to.
:25:55. > :26:02.We briefed our Article 50 jury on what the negotiations
:26:03. > :26:10.What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.
:26:11. > :26:12.How does our panel view the balance between controlling immigration
:26:13. > :26:18.We do need to take back control of our borders.
:26:19. > :26:23.Losing our single trade deal as part of it, it has to happen.
:26:24. > :26:26.We have the rest of the world to negotiate individually
:26:27. > :26:32.What about the trade stuff, are you worried that, economically,
:26:33. > :26:38.I think in the beginning we may well take a nosedive.
:26:39. > :26:42.But it's something we will recover from.
:26:43. > :26:45.If we take a nosedive, who actually suffers?
:26:46. > :26:53.When you actually look back in history, we've always managed.
:26:54. > :26:55.So a bit of pain, if it gains, is worth it?
:26:56. > :27:10.We are going to be, the country is going to stagnate economically.
:27:11. > :27:17.I don't think it will ever come out to be Billy-no-mates because this
:27:18. > :27:19.country is too well loved all over the world.
:27:20. > :27:25.The Article 50 talks need to disentangle
:27:26. > :27:29.the UK from EU systems, structures and institutions.
:27:30. > :27:31.So which is more important - retaining a close relationship
:27:32. > :27:34.with Europe, and rights and privileges, or
:27:35. > :27:39.I just hope that this Brexit thing does not affect many
:27:40. > :27:45.So you're worried we somehow create division when we disentangle
:27:46. > :27:55.My son is 24 and it terrifies me, he and his generation might be
:27:56. > :28:02.in a situation that we end up in a war.
:28:03. > :28:09.I think it's up to us as people that voted out,
:28:10. > :28:13.That everything is going to be all right.
:28:14. > :28:15.Let's imagine we get to the two-year point,
:28:16. > :28:18.John, what do you think should happen?
:28:19. > :28:28.Put our arms out to the rest of the world.
:28:29. > :28:31.I think a lot of people would walk away.
:28:32. > :28:38.It's started now, so there's no good turning back.
:28:39. > :28:41.It will take more than two years, more than five years.
:28:42. > :28:46.We have just got to go in and show them that we do mean business.
:28:47. > :28:59.I think we should have a more diplomatic style.
:29:00. > :29:02.So how does our jury feel about triggering Article 50?
:29:03. > :29:08.Happy, unhappy, or worried and confused.
:29:09. > :29:13.Four happy, three worried, one unhappy.
:29:14. > :29:17.Our jury - and, indeed, Britain - is deeply divided on its reaction
:29:18. > :29:19.to the triggering of Article 50 and similar arguments will be
:29:20. > :29:32.played out in the months of detailed talks ahead.
:29:33. > :29:39.I think British public opinion broadly divided into three. A third
:29:40. > :29:42.of people are really excited and happy about leaving be you, another
:29:43. > :29:46.third, however they voted, want to get on with it, for the Government
:29:47. > :29:50.to get the best deal they can. I think roughly a third of people in
:29:51. > :29:52.Britain think we have made a catastrophic mistake.
:29:53. > :29:55.The port here in Dover handles 17% of the UK's goods trade.
:29:56. > :29:59.Our Business Editor Simon Jack has been looking
:30:00. > :30:04.In two years' time this will be UK's most important
:30:05. > :30:08.17% of all goods traded with and the UK roll
:30:09. > :30:13.on and off through Dover, with no customs checks.
:30:14. > :30:15.Even now, the port often backs up, leading
:30:16. > :30:16.to seems like this - Operation Stack.
:30:17. > :30:21.The man who keeps Dover running says extra border checks
:30:22. > :30:29.We had strike action in France, and migrant activity that impacted
:30:30. > :30:32.both the ferry terminal and Eurotunnel in 2015.
:30:33. > :30:35.That saw Operation Stack in place for an unprecedented 30 plus days.
:30:36. > :30:37.We will see that every day of the year in perpetuity,
:30:38. > :30:44.if we don't get this situation sorted.
:30:45. > :30:51.And getting it sorted will not be straightforward.
:30:52. > :30:54.We've got less than two years to get a system in place.
:30:55. > :30:58.We're looking at an additional 300 million checks on trucks.
:30:59. > :31:01.We haven't done this for over 20 years, so of course
:31:02. > :31:03.there is a lack of expertise, as well as what we've
:31:04. > :31:08.We've got a lot to do in a short space of time.
:31:09. > :31:10.Britain's journey out of the EU is finally underway,
:31:11. > :31:12.but for business, navigating the route is still very difficult.
:31:13. > :31:18.Nearly a fifth of all goods trade in the UK come
:31:19. > :31:23.There are now two years to try and figure out how to keep
:31:24. > :31:25.all of that moving outside the Customs Union.
:31:26. > :31:28.The problem is, the new rules won't be known for months.
:31:29. > :31:31.Questions like what computer upgrades do we need,
:31:32. > :31:34.how many extra personnel, where are the lorries going to park?
:31:35. > :31:35.All of those questions remain unclear.
:31:36. > :31:37.Like so many issues concerning Brexit,
:31:38. > :31:39.although the clock is ticking, the detailed work can't yet start.
:31:40. > :31:42.This level of messy detail shouldn't distract from the great
:31:43. > :31:44.opportunities that await the UK, according to Sir James Dyson.
:31:45. > :31:46.I'm enormously optimistic because I think that looking
:31:47. > :31:49.outwards to the rest of the world is very, very important,
:31:50. > :31:57.I think it's making us much more global in outlook, and we'll come
:31:58. > :32:05.It's in our best interests and Europe's best interests to come
:32:06. > :32:09.He's putting his money where his mouth is, investing
:32:10. > :32:18.?2.5 billion on renovating this 500 acre airfield to house thousands
:32:19. > :32:20.Business and government have precisely two years
:32:21. > :32:24.Two years doesn't sound long enough to sort out
:32:25. > :32:32.I think my facial expression probably gives it away.
:32:33. > :32:36.IT systems take a long time to deliver, certainly will need some
:32:37. > :32:38.form of transitional arrangement to make this work.
:32:39. > :32:41.Today's letter allows for that and it showed a new reluctance
:32:42. > :32:43.to walk away from negotiations than previous government statements.
:32:44. > :32:46.A smooth exit, it seems, is more important than a quick one.
:32:47. > :33:01.If anything, I would say British attitudes are becoming more
:33:02. > :33:05.entrenched. Remain ups are becoming more optimistic. Once we begin to
:33:06. > :33:09.see what the deal looks like and how that might affect people's real
:33:10. > :33:14.lives, then of course public opinion may shift again. From the white
:33:15. > :33:16.Cliffs of Dover, back to you in Westminster.
:33:17. > :33:18.Thank you very much, Mark Easton, in Dover.
:33:19. > :33:21.The likely economic impact of Brexit was one of the key areas of debate
:33:22. > :33:24.And today the Prime Minister, in her Article 50 letter,
:33:25. > :33:27.set out her hopes for effective economic cooperation.
:33:28. > :33:29.She talked of a deep and special partnership.
:33:30. > :33:35.Our economics editor Kamal Ahmed is with me.
:33:36. > :33:42.Let's pick up on the thoughts about a more conciliatory note today. How
:33:43. > :33:46.does that translate into this whole trade and economic area? Often this
:33:47. > :33:49.whole debate, I think, is sort of fashion does a rather titanic
:33:50. > :33:53.struggle between the politics of Brexit, that's about less
:33:54. > :33:57.immigration, about taking back control, about sovereignty, and what
:33:58. > :34:02.might be described as the economic sub Brexit. How does Britain obtain
:34:03. > :34:04.the best deal with the rest of the European Union? I think today, as
:34:05. > :34:25.you suggest, the economics won out, at least slightly. Theresa May
:34:26. > :34:27.talked about prosperity, not just for Britain but the European Union.
:34:28. > :34:30.She talked about that implementation phase, that we wouldn't be crashing
:34:31. > :34:33.out of the European Union. There would be no cliff edge. A little
:34:34. > :34:35.talk today about no deal being better than a bad deal. Who was that
:34:36. > :34:37.sitting next to Theresa May during her statement to Parliament? Philip
:34:38. > :34:40.Hammond, the Chancellor, the man charged with piloting the UK economy
:34:41. > :34:42.through these tough next few years. But I think to reason knows and
:34:43. > :34:49.Philip Hammond knows there are a lot of challenges today. Ford and BMW
:34:50. > :34:54.both warned for the needs that tariff free access to the European
:34:55. > :34:58.Union. BMW said they wanted to see free labour movement across borders.
:34:59. > :35:02.Then there's the public. I think he Theresa May does have a challenge.
:35:03. > :35:08.Brexit and the economy have led to the top of the list of issues that
:35:09. > :35:12.the public are most concerned about. If Theresa May doesn't get a good
:35:13. > :35:17.deal with the European Union, if there is economic damage, that's not
:35:18. > :35:23.just in economic risk to number ten, it's also a pretty major political
:35:24. > :35:24.one. Thank you. Our economics editor with his thoughts tonight at
:35:25. > :35:26.Westminster. You'll find much more
:35:27. > :35:28.analysis from Kamal and our team of specialists
:35:29. > :35:30.on what the Brexit process You can also find the full BBC
:35:31. > :35:37.interview with the Prime Minister. bbc.co.uk/news is
:35:38. > :35:43.the address you need. Go to the front page and the links
:35:44. > :35:49.are all there for you. Commemorations have been held
:35:50. > :35:52.here at Westminster today and at New Scotland Yard
:35:53. > :35:54.for the victims of last Wednesday's attack,
:35:55. > :35:59.when Khalid Massod drove into pedestrians, killing three
:36:00. > :36:01.people, before stabbing a police office to death outside
:36:02. > :36:03.the Houses of Parliament. Our correspondent
:36:04. > :36:05.Daniela Relph reports. They walked onto Westminster
:36:06. > :36:08.Bridge, a calm, quiet show of strength, where last
:36:09. > :36:12.week there was chaos. They were here to
:36:13. > :36:14.remember those who had Leslie Rhodes,
:36:15. > :36:24.a 75-year-old Londoner. Tonight her family described
:36:25. > :36:29.as the coolest of mummies, And Kurt Cochran from
:36:30. > :36:35.America, the first As he was hit, he was
:36:36. > :36:44.thrown from the bridge. Today his family visited
:36:45. > :36:49.the place where he fell. For they had wanted
:36:50. > :36:52.to come here, and to At exactly 2:40pm, the moment
:36:53. > :36:57.the attack began a week ago, the family joined others whose
:36:58. > :37:00.lives had changed forever last They included Andrei Burnaz
:37:01. > :37:04.from Romania, who suffered His girlfriend,
:37:05. > :37:17.Andreea Cristea, plunged into the River Thames
:37:18. > :37:23.when she was hit by the car. She remains in hospital,
:37:24. > :37:25.in a critical but stable condition. Walking with the families,
:37:26. > :37:28.a group of schoolgirls Faith groups speaking
:37:29. > :37:35.out against terrorism. Looking on, medical staff
:37:36. > :37:43.from St Thomas' Hospital, many of whom had rushed to
:37:44. > :37:45.the scene last week. All here to stop in
:37:46. > :37:59.silence and solidarity. The memories will have been
:38:00. > :38:02.particularly raw for the Metropolitan Police officers,
:38:03. > :38:05.who had lost one of their own. PC Keith Palmer was
:38:06. > :38:10.killed in the grounds of Parliament, despite desperate
:38:11. > :38:12.efforts to save him. At New Scotland Yard
:38:13. > :38:16.they reflected on his sacrifice This afternoon is
:38:17. > :38:20.about remembering the Our thoughts, our prayers go out
:38:21. > :38:29.to everyone who was affected by the It was a moment of calm
:38:30. > :38:33.after the chaos of exactly a It was also a united
:38:34. > :38:39.front against the horror Today, inquests opened into
:38:40. > :38:46.the deaths of four of those killed. This afternoon though
:38:47. > :38:48.was about an act of remembrance, a chance for London
:38:49. > :38:50.is to stand together. Daniella Relph, BBC News,
:38:51. > :38:57.Westminster Bridge. Let's take a brief look
:38:58. > :39:00.at some of the day's A man and a woman have been arrested
:39:01. > :39:04.in Birmingham this afternoon Six properties have
:39:05. > :39:08.also been searched. Police are not linking today's
:39:09. > :39:10.arrests to last week's EU competition regulators
:39:11. > :39:15.have blocked the merger of the London Stock Exchange
:39:16. > :39:18.with the owner of the Frankfurt They say the deal would have given
:39:19. > :39:25.the new business too much market power and would have created
:39:26. > :39:29.a virtual monopoly. An American man who was paralysed
:39:30. > :39:32.below the shoulders has regained some movement by using his thoughts
:39:33. > :39:37.to send messages from implants Doctors say it's the first time
:39:38. > :39:42.a system controlled by the brain has helped someone with severe paralysis
:39:43. > :39:44.to reach and hold objects. A private funeral for the singer
:39:45. > :39:47.George Michael has taken His publicist said it was
:39:48. > :39:52.a small ceremony, attended The singer's family thanked his fans
:39:53. > :39:56.across the world "for their many He was found dead at his Oxfordshire
:39:57. > :40:05.home on Christmas Day last year. Let's return to events
:40:06. > :40:08.here at Westminster, on the day the United Kingdom formally
:40:09. > :40:11.served notice that it Our Political Editor Laura
:40:12. > :40:29.Kuenssberg is with me again. For a variety of reasons, what you
:40:30. > :40:34.will emerge from it? Every now and then there are big moments that make
:40:35. > :40:39.us. On the 23rd of June decision became clear, today with 12.25, when
:40:40. > :40:43.the letter was handed across. As you say, people voted for all sorts of
:40:44. > :40:46.reasons, but many of the people who were persuaded to vote out did so on
:40:47. > :40:52.the promise of lots of money coming back from Brussels to go to the NHS
:40:53. > :40:55.and a promise of control, the implication of reducing immigration.
:40:56. > :40:58.What was interesting this afternoon, after her very links free time in
:40:59. > :41:11.the House of Commons, when Theresa May spoke at length about this, she
:41:12. > :41:13.would not promise to make a significant cut on the levels of
:41:14. > :41:16.immigration, nor would she be specific about how many billions she
:41:17. > :41:18.thinks will come back, nor what she would do with it as Prime Minister.
:41:19. > :41:20.And remember, she's not just there for dealing with these complicated
:41:21. > :41:23.negotiations, she also has to cope with expectations at home. The
:41:24. > :41:26.expectations that the many millions of people who will be watching this
:41:27. > :41:30.tonight and feeling thrilled about the fact the process is finally
:41:31. > :41:34.underway. When you think about it, there are huge opportunities here,
:41:35. > :41:42.too. But it's properly the least palatable set of challenges for any
:41:43. > :41:44.modern peace time Prime Minister. Mind-bendingly complicated
:41:45. > :41:49.negotiations, strong expectations at home, the Scottish Government intent
:41:50. > :41:53.on pushing their agenda for a second referendum and of course, plenty of
:41:54. > :41:59.people on her back in her own party, pushing for the kind of Brexit that
:42:00. > :42:03.they want. A very, very complicated and difficult set of challenges.
:42:04. > :42:06.Those close to her say Theresa May is fearless in the political pursuit
:42:07. > :42:10.of what she wants to achieve. Let's hope they are right, not just for
:42:11. > :42:17.her career but for the sake of getting it right for all of us. Once
:42:18. > :42:19.again, Laura, thank you. Laura Kuenssberg with me tonight at
:42:20. > :42:21.Westminster. That is it tonight for BBC News attempt. In a moment, the
:42:22. > :42:26.news where you are. But we'll leave you with some
:42:27. > :42:28.of the defining moments of the past 9 months,
:42:29. > :42:31.from the day the voters of Britain took the momentous decision
:42:32. > :42:34.to leave the European Union. The British people have spoken
:42:35. > :42:37.and the answer is we're out. We're Great Britain,
:42:38. > :42:40.that's what we do. The British people have made
:42:41. > :42:46.a very clear decision And, as such, I think the country
:42:47. > :42:52.requires fresh leadership to take It's a victory for ordinary
:42:53. > :42:59.people, decent people. This does not mean that
:43:00. > :43:03.the United Kingdom will be Nor, indeed, does it mean that it
:43:04. > :43:11.will be any less European. The option of a second referendum
:43:12. > :43:17.must be on the table. Her Majesty the Queen
:43:18. > :43:20.has asked me to form Brexit means Brexit, and we're
:43:21. > :43:29.going to make a success of it. No Prime Minister, no
:43:30. > :43:35.Government can expect to be This was a nationwide referendum
:43:36. > :44:10.of the British people, The British people have been led to
:44:11. > :44:11.think of a future that seems unrealistic.
:44:12. > :44:13.This is an historic moment from which there can
:44:14. > :44:16.Britain is leaving the European Union.
:44:17. > :44:19.We are going to make our own decisions and our own laws.
:44:20. > :44:33.There is no reason to pretend that this is a happy day.
:44:34. > :44:38.I choose to believe in Britain and that our best days lie ahead.