:00:00. > :00:00.European Union after 44 years of membership. That's all from the BBC
:00:00. > :00:14.Good evening from Westminster, a special edition of the programme. We
:00:15. > :00:18.will be looking at what the triggering of Article 50 means for
:00:19. > :00:27.Scotland. We will strengthen the union of the four nations that
:00:28. > :00:29.comprise our united Kingdom. If she denies Scotland a choice, she will
:00:30. > :00:35.make Scottish independence inevitable. We will look at the
:00:36. > :00:41.impact of leaving the single market on the economy. We will be in
:00:42. > :00:51.Brussels to find out what EU politicians think about the
:00:52. > :00:53.relationship with Europe. More delays to the new Queensbury
:00:54. > :01:12.Crossing, could be August before it's open to traffic.
:01:13. > :01:14.The process that will change the United Kingdom's place
:01:15. > :01:21.The world's media has gathered here at Westminster to digest
:01:22. > :01:29.Over there at the Commons the Prime Minister insisted
:01:30. > :01:34.she wanted to agree a deep and special partnership with Europe.
:01:35. > :01:37.But in response the SNP's Westminster leader Angus Robertson
:01:38. > :01:39.called again for a vote on independence to give
:01:40. > :01:43.In a moment we will be speaking to the UK Government
:01:44. > :01:46.But first our political correspondent Nick Eardley reports
:01:47. > :01:57.Another day of history in Westminster. They've hardly been in
:01:58. > :02:01.short supply. But today's events will change the United Kingdom,
:02:02. > :02:04.starting one of the most complex negotiations Whitehall has ever
:02:05. > :02:14.seen, altering our relationship with Europe fundamentally. Will Brexit be
:02:15. > :02:20.good for Scotland? He think so but his opponents disagree passionately.
:02:21. > :02:24.The Prime Minister's statement delivered to coincide with the
:02:25. > :02:29.formal divorce letter arriving in Brussels. Statement, the Prime
:02:30. > :02:34.Minister. A message of unity and a pledge of more powers for Holyrood.
:02:35. > :02:37.It is the expectation of the government that the devolved
:02:38. > :02:40.administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will see a
:02:41. > :02:45.significant increase in their decision-making power as a result of
:02:46. > :02:48.this process. When I sit around the negotiating table in the months
:02:49. > :02:53.ahead I will represent every person in the United Kingdom, young and
:02:54. > :02:58.old, rich and poor, city, town and country and all the villages and
:02:59. > :03:01.hamlets in between. The SNP said UK wide agreement hadn't been
:03:02. > :03:07.delivered. The Prime Minister promised an agreement. There is no
:03:08. > :03:12.agreement. She has broken her word. If she remains intransigent and if
:03:13. > :03:19.she denies Scotland a choice on our future, she will make Scottish
:03:20. > :03:26.independence inevitable. And here it is, the letter that was livid to
:03:27. > :03:29.President Tusk earlier today. It said that the talks should be
:03:30. > :03:33.constructive and respectful. It admits the task ahead is momentous
:03:34. > :03:38.but says it should be within the grasp of the UK and EU to find a
:03:39. > :03:42.deal two years. Is the message from the UK Government one of optimism?
:03:43. > :03:46.The tone of the letter is very positive. We want to form a new
:03:47. > :03:51.relationship with the EU. We are confirming that we will be European
:03:52. > :03:56.but not part of the EU. We are looking to take these negotiations
:03:57. > :03:59.forward in a constructive fashion, get a deal that works for Scotland
:04:00. > :04:04.and the whole of the UK. Some disagree and think today is a bad
:04:05. > :04:09.one that will make Scotland worse off. A sad day for Scotland and for
:04:10. > :04:13.the rest of the UK and for Europe as well. For a long, long time we've
:04:14. > :04:20.become wealthier, healthier, fairer and safer as a result of our
:04:21. > :04:24.partnership with the European Union. Obviously bad news, not just for
:04:25. > :04:28.Scotland but for businesses and people's jobs across the length and
:04:29. > :04:31.breadth of the United Kingdom. There is no stopping this, we cannot get
:04:32. > :04:35.off this bus, so we need to engage with the process and make sure the
:04:36. > :04:38.priorities we want are included in negotiations and make sure we hold
:04:39. > :04:44.this government to account every step of the way. The Brexit process
:04:45. > :04:47.has begun. Where it takes the UK and where it takes Scotland, those
:04:48. > :04:50.questions will be answered in coming years.
:04:51. > :04:52.Our Westminster correspondent David Porter joins me.
:04:53. > :04:55.David, the Prime Minister insisting that this would be a deal
:04:56. > :04:59.for all the devolved nations but that wasn't enough for the SNP.
:05:00. > :05:04.They feel Scotland was not treated as an equal partner? That's right,
:05:05. > :05:08.in essence this goes to the heart of the disagreement between the ardent
:05:09. > :05:12.Unionist Theresa May and the nationalist. In our mammoth
:05:13. > :05:16.statement to MPs this afternoon she said she would negotiate on behalf
:05:17. > :05:21.of all of the UK but she made it plain there would be no separate
:05:22. > :05:25.special deals for Scotland. She says more powers can come to Holyrood but
:05:26. > :05:29.she did not spell them out and the Nationalists want more information.
:05:30. > :05:32.They feel that to some extent the deal they thought they had for an
:05:33. > :05:36.agreement that things would be decided before Article 50 was
:05:37. > :05:41.triggered, they feel the Prime Minister has reneged on that. The
:05:42. > :05:44.anger we saw in the House of Commons today, I don't think it was
:05:45. > :05:49.synthetic. I think it was real anger. To some extent what we are
:05:50. > :05:53.seeing when you add this to the simmering row, the escalating row
:05:54. > :05:58.that is on Scottish independence, you see just how difficult the
:05:59. > :06:00.relations are now potentially between the Scottish Government and
:06:01. > :06:04.relations are now potentially the UK Government. And unless things
:06:05. > :06:06.improve, just how difficult things could be throughout the whole Brexit
:06:07. > :06:08.process. The First Minister has warned that
:06:09. > :06:10.Brexit is a dangerous And Scottish Ministers say
:06:11. > :06:13.the Article 50 timetable makes the case for an independence
:06:14. > :06:17.referendum even more compelling. The call came as the UK Government
:06:18. > :06:19.turned down proposals But Conservatives insist
:06:20. > :06:24.a referendum would be This from our political
:06:25. > :06:36.editor Brian Taylor. Nicola Sturgeon says she wishes the
:06:37. > :06:42.Prime Minister well in her efforts to secure the best possible Brexit
:06:43. > :06:47.deal. But visiting eight Iosco company creating 300 jobs through
:06:48. > :06:50.European links, she warns Brexit will be damaging. No doubt that what
:06:51. > :06:57.is happening today does represent something of a leap in the dark.
:06:58. > :06:59.Albeit Article 50 has been triggered today, the Prime Minister still
:07:00. > :07:02.can't answer basic questions about today, the Prime Minister still
:07:03. > :07:07.what Brexit will mean for businesses, for the economy
:07:08. > :07:09.generally. The First Minister had urged a distinctive deal involving
:07:10. > :07:17.Scottish access to the European single market. Eva Davis, the
:07:18. > :07:21.European exit says that is unworkable. He stresses shared
:07:22. > :07:28.ground and shared goals for the talks. Scotland will be a strong
:07:29. > :07:32.voice standing up for Scottish interests. At the end of the process
:07:33. > :07:37.clearly delineated in the letter, will be required to make a choice.
:07:38. > :07:42.We can put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands all we can be
:07:43. > :07:45.dragged along with hard Brexit. The people of Scotland deserve that
:07:46. > :07:49.choice. The Conservatives say they won't even contemplate an
:07:50. > :07:54.independence referendum until Brexit is not just signed off but settled
:07:55. > :07:59.down. Now it's not the time to be putting a second independence
:08:00. > :08:02.referendum deal on the table. What about 2021? Now is not the time to
:08:03. > :08:09.be talking about a second independence referendum. Cosier
:08:10. > :08:14.Dugdale in Wales today discussing feminism says a plague on both
:08:15. > :08:21.houses. People don't want to be forced to choose between two extreme
:08:22. > :08:26.nationalism is. I've seen it for years. More and more fierce. A play
:08:27. > :08:29.about Brexit takes to the stage in a Lascuna. The political drama has now
:08:30. > :08:32.opened And the SNP's leader
:08:33. > :08:34.here at Westminster, You spoke with passion today
:08:35. > :08:38.in the Commons about your opposition to Brexit and that if Scotland's
:08:39. > :08:51.views were ignored it would make The first thing is obviously it has
:08:52. > :08:55.been a really big day and a Rubicon has been crossed. The point I was
:08:56. > :09:00.trying to make to the Prime Minister is that the Scottish Government and
:09:01. > :09:02.MPs work in good faith to find an agreement, not a compromise. The
:09:03. > :09:05.MPs work in good faith to find an Prime Minister said she wanted an
:09:06. > :09:09.agreement before triggering Article 50 and there is no agreement. It
:09:10. > :09:12.seems to us and will seem too many viewers in Scotland that if the
:09:13. > :09:16.Prime Minister is prepared to rate her word on that, how should we take
:09:17. > :09:20.the rest of the promises about what is heading in our direction as a
:09:21. > :09:25.result of Brexit which I fear will be damaging to our economy, our
:09:26. > :09:29.links with the rest of Europe. Those promises include more power for the
:09:30. > :09:33.Scottish parliament, what's not to like? But what does that mean? At
:09:34. > :09:37.the moment it just sounds like rhetoric. If the Prime Minister were
:09:38. > :09:43.serious, she would have delivered on the promise she made last July. She
:09:44. > :09:46.promised a UK wide approach, an agreement with the government of
:09:47. > :09:50.Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no agreement. If
:09:51. > :09:55.the Prime Minister wants a respectful arrangement with the
:09:56. > :09:59.different regions of the UK, if you are going to make such a promise,
:10:00. > :10:03.you deliver, and if not people are right to question if the rest of it
:10:04. > :10:08.is a serious opposition or not. I fear this rhetoric about more powers
:10:09. > :10:11.coming back has already Dean Kiely did by what I believe is likely to
:10:12. > :10:16.happen which is that all these powers are not coming back. I don't
:10:17. > :10:19.think fisheries will come back to Scotland, I don't take powers on
:10:20. > :10:22.agriculture will come back to Scotland, I think they will reserve
:10:23. > :10:26.powers here to Westminster and Scotland will have to continue to
:10:27. > :10:31.play second fiddle over far too many areas. Ayew asking voters in
:10:32. > :10:35.Scotland to choose between the UK and EU, effectively isn't that what
:10:36. > :10:39.it is? The first instance is a democratic point, should the people
:10:40. > :10:42.of Scotland have a choice? To which my answer is absolutely. The reason
:10:43. > :10:46.why this is so important, after 18 months we will see decisions made
:10:47. > :10:51.here, in the House of Commons and House Lords, the European Parliament
:10:52. > :10:55.and 27 other European countries, they are all going to have a choice
:10:56. > :11:00.about our country's future. It seems regardless of whether you voted
:11:01. > :11:04.remain or leave, on such a big issue when there are going to be two
:11:05. > :11:08.potential outcomes we can choose, I think people should have the choice.
:11:09. > :11:11.As Democrats we should all sign up to that and I think we should be
:11:12. > :11:14.united that given this is such a big thing which is going to impact on
:11:15. > :11:20.our country so much we should trust the voters on this. Very briefly,
:11:21. > :11:24.Nicola Sturgeon's letter is still to be delivered to the Prime Minister,
:11:25. > :11:27.you say it will contain options, can you explain? I will leave that to my
:11:28. > :11:28.colleagues in the Scottish Government.
:11:29. > :11:30.Leaving the European Union is a political decision.
:11:31. > :11:39.Here's our business and economy editor, Douglas Fraser.
:11:40. > :11:45.It's hard to think of any decision that will affect everyone in the
:11:46. > :11:48.country the way that this one will. So far it's been mainly political
:11:49. > :11:53.but the impact will be mainly economic. This is about the movement
:11:54. > :11:57.of goods across borders, of services often down fibre-optic cables, and
:11:58. > :12:05.the movement of workers, of consumers. It's about people. This
:12:06. > :12:08.is one of those affected, his French and exports shellfish from Glasgow
:12:09. > :12:15.to France, Spain and Italy. There is a threat he could lose the right to
:12:16. > :12:20.live here. I feel unwelcome. I think I will have to go back to France.
:12:21. > :12:24.Half of my team come from Eastern Europe. They are happy, stable,
:12:25. > :12:28.working hard. They are happy to stay here. But now we will see what
:12:29. > :12:35.happened with the Brexit. At the moment nobody knows. Exports are
:12:36. > :12:36.helped by the weakened pound though inflation has hit packaging and
:12:37. > :12:44.helped by the weakened pound though other costs. Fellow French fishermen
:12:45. > :12:47.could lose access to British waters. I think we cause trouble, the French
:12:48. > :12:53.are very well-known for that. Any problems, they do the blockage. And
:12:54. > :12:57.if I can't export tomorrow it will be a serious problem for us. Deep
:12:58. > :13:02.sea fishing was one business sector pleased to see Theresa May's letter
:13:03. > :13:06.delivered. She has the support of the fishing industry behind her. By
:13:07. > :13:13.God if she deviates from that she'll be hearing from us. It's a great day
:13:14. > :13:18.for the industry and we look forward to an amicable Brexit. Other sectors
:13:19. > :13:22.have other issues. The boss of publisher HarperCollins says he is
:13:23. > :13:25.already losing European stuff. Glasgow University wanted to attract
:13:26. > :13:31.two American recruits but they pulled out because they would not be
:13:32. > :13:37.linked into academic networks. There are plans to double container
:13:38. > :13:41.traffic within five years for this group. This economic expert and lead
:13:42. > :13:46.adviser to the Scottish Government on Brexit says distinctive Scottish
:13:47. > :13:49.concern is about continuing recent success in attracting young
:13:50. > :13:54.migrants. These have changed the demographic of Scotland, what skills
:13:55. > :14:00.and really boosted and reversed the decline in Scottish topography. And
:14:01. > :14:07.that is key. The British government may have to, mice, he says, a lot,
:14:08. > :14:12.it if it is to avoid the cliff edge. There is a chance of there not being
:14:13. > :14:15.a deal, it is a challenging thing to negotiate a deal. If we are on a
:14:16. > :14:18.cliff edge that could be economic to catastrophic. The consensus amongst
:14:19. > :14:22.economists is that the outlook does not look good. At the businesses,
:14:23. > :14:30.they are always looking for opportunities wherever they arise.
:14:31. > :14:32.I'm joined now by the Scottish Secretary, David Mundell.
:14:33. > :14:34.How do we know that Brexit won't damage the union
:14:35. > :14:48.If Brexit is a fatal to the union, Theresa May saw the dangers. I don't
:14:49. > :14:53.think it is going to be fatal to the United Kingdom. She said it would
:14:54. > :14:57.be. I think we will deliver on the basis of the letter triggering
:14:58. > :15:02.Article 50, the Prime Minister's White Paper and we will deliver a
:15:03. > :15:07.good deal for Scotland and the whole of the UK, and that is the basis on
:15:08. > :15:12.which the people of Scotland will judge Brexit. The letter today shows
:15:13. > :15:15.we will take a positive and constructive approach, and we
:15:16. > :15:21.recognise we are leaving the EU but not to Europe, we will work to get
:15:22. > :15:25.access to the single market so that Scottish businesses and the economy
:15:26. > :15:28.can prosper, and we will take advantage of all the other
:15:29. > :15:32.opportunities that can come with Brexit. How helpful is it to this
:15:33. > :15:36.partnership of equals that the Westminster government didn't
:15:37. > :15:43.respond to the Scottish government's proposals for Brexit until after it
:15:44. > :15:46.was triggered? We have been in a very active dialogue... You didn't
:15:47. > :15:51.respond until late afternoon! We have been active in a dialogue with
:15:52. > :15:56.the Scottish government. All the things set out in the letter are
:15:57. > :15:59.things that have been discussed before, discussed in official
:16:00. > :16:02.meetings, ministerial meeting so there was nothing that was a
:16:03. > :16:07.surprise in our response. What we are saying today there are so many
:16:08. > :16:14.areas in which we are an agreement, and if we don't agree the means, we
:16:15. > :16:20.agree the end. It would be... We don't think Scotland needs a
:16:21. > :16:23.separate agreement. If we can get a very good deal for the UK, that
:16:24. > :16:27.would be a very good deal for Scotland. You said now isn't the
:16:28. > :16:33.time for another independence referendum. When? I think having an
:16:34. > :16:39.independence referendum during the Brexit process would be unfair on
:16:40. > :16:41.Scotland, so we have to seek our way through the journey and
:16:42. > :16:48.negotiations, through the implementation, I believe, NFP about
:16:49. > :17:00.transition... Is in it disrespectful to be so an -- ambiguous? I think it
:17:01. > :17:04.would be disrespectful for us to give a date. We don't have a crystal
:17:05. > :17:08.ball, we don't know when the Brexit journey will be complete. What we do
:17:09. > :17:13.know is if people are going to be asked again about the constitutional
:17:14. > :17:18.future on the basis of Brexit, they have to know what the Brexit deal
:17:19. > :17:22.is, how it is affecting them, how the relationship of the UK and the
:17:23. > :17:25.rest of the EU is going to work and it would be disrespectful to ask
:17:26. > :17:27.them to choose if they don't know that. Thank you very much for your
:17:28. > :17:28.time this evening. Formal negotiations with Brussels
:17:29. > :17:31.aren't expected to begin So what do EU politicians
:17:32. > :17:33.and officials think about Scotland's Our political correspondent,
:17:34. > :17:36.Glenn Campbell is in Glenn, what's been
:17:37. > :17:52.the response there? It's just a few hours since the UK's
:17:53. > :17:56.exit letter was handed in at the European Council. For now, the
:17:57. > :18:01.enormity of that is more than enough for the EU to chew on but among
:18:02. > :18:03.politicians and the wider public here there is awareness of the
:18:04. > :18:06.renewed debate over Scottish independence.
:18:07. > :18:14.There is no guide to the EU's capital city expert enough to say
:18:15. > :18:20.what Brexit will bring. I suppose it will not be a good thing and I hope
:18:21. > :18:26.the Scottish leave the United Kingdom, then they cameramen with
:18:27. > :18:29.us. You think so? I hope so. Because a majority in Scotland voted
:18:30. > :18:34.running, the First Minister wanted to keep us if not the whole of the
:18:35. > :18:39.UK inside the European single market in a Norway style arrangement but
:18:40. > :18:43.Norway's Minister for the single market, that is membership of the
:18:44. > :18:47.EA, isn't sure such a special deal would have been possible. I find it
:18:48. > :18:57.difficult to see a model where Scotland would be part of the UK and
:18:58. > :19:01.part of the EEA. What if Scotland votes for independence? Be welcomed
:19:02. > :19:04.into Norway style membership of the European single market? That is the
:19:05. > :19:10.same answer. We would be open-minded. Cooperation between
:19:11. > :19:13.countries in Europe is important. Scottish ministers will be pleased
:19:14. > :19:17.to hear the open-minded this is because they are coming to think
:19:18. > :19:24.about a Norway style deal as a staging post a full EU and Bishop if
:19:25. > :19:28.Scotland votes for independence after the UK has left the European
:19:29. > :19:32.Union. Theresa May wants Brexit to bed in before any fresh vote on
:19:33. > :19:37.independence but Nicola Sturgeon thinks we will know enough in 18
:19:38. > :19:41.months to two years. Do not's man in Brussels thinks any shape of Brexit
:19:42. > :19:46.deal should be clearer by then. I hope and think we will be able to
:19:47. > :19:51.manage to get a compromise, a deal that would cover both the divorce
:19:52. > :19:55.Bill and also the future relationship. Nicola Sturgeon is but
:19:56. > :19:59.lots of effort into explaining her position on Brexit to European
:20:00. > :20:02.leaders. There is understanding here but most senior figures are
:20:03. > :20:10.reluctant to be drawn into our debate. As far as Scotland is
:20:11. > :20:14.concerned, all those who voted to stay feel they are unhappy and feel
:20:15. > :20:20.their considerations were not taken into account. It will be up to the
:20:21. > :20:27.people of Scotland to decide what they want now, to organise their
:20:28. > :20:30.future life. Back in Brussels main square, a visiting leader who has
:20:31. > :20:36.decided his country should eventually joined the EU. To get
:20:37. > :20:40.closer and closer to our family, where we feel we belong. Do you
:20:41. > :20:45.think it is funny Georgia is trying to get in when the UK is coming out?
:20:46. > :20:50.I might think that it is funny but there is nothing funny in that. It
:20:51. > :20:56.is a decision of the United Kingdom which we need to respect. Different
:20:57. > :21:00.countries, different choices. Nicola Sturgeon is determined
:21:01. > :21:04.Scotland should have another chance to choose to make its own
:21:05. > :21:09.relationship with the European Union. Theresa May seems equally
:21:10. > :21:14.determined Scotland should wait to see what extra power Brexit brings
:21:15. > :21:20.home from Brussels to Holyrood before deciding if we want to choose
:21:21. > :21:22.between a more independent UK and an independent Scotland.
:21:23. > :21:24.And there's a news special on the triggering of Brexit
:21:25. > :21:35.Andrew Neil will be interviewing the prime ministers about her intentions
:21:36. > :21:40.for the Brexit negotiations to come and be talking to the Scottish
:21:41. > :21:44.government's Brexit minister where this leaves the next independence
:21:45. > :21:48.referendum and I'll be talking to Scottish Labour, the Lib Dems and
:21:49. > :21:52.the Greens. That is at 7pm, immediately after this programme.
:21:53. > :21:55.The opening of the new Queensferry Crossing has been delayed again.
:21:56. > :21:57.It's being blamed on bad weather affecting the construction work.
:21:58. > :22:00.The bridge won't now be open to traffic until July or August.
:22:01. > :22:12.Weather is blamed for the delay. The Scottish garment flagship's project
:22:13. > :22:16.was meant to open last September now it will be July or August. We are
:22:17. > :22:21.frustrated by this but what is important is we have an iconic
:22:22. > :22:25.structure, which we can't see today, but we have to have it completed
:22:26. > :22:31.safely and his standard. The contractor faces fines for these
:22:32. > :22:35.delays. We took the effect on whether into account and added
:22:36. > :22:39.additional factors onto it, some percentages but what we've actually
:22:40. > :22:42.found, especially in the last two or three months, the weather has been
:22:43. > :22:47.far greater than we expected. The Scottish government stresses there
:22:48. > :22:54.won't be more cost to the purse. In fact it says this six-year project
:22:55. > :22:57.will come in at a quarter of ?1 billion below budget. Opposition
:22:58. > :23:01.politicians are critical, they wonder if the timetables were ever
:23:02. > :23:06.realistic. Why wasn't the Scottish Parliament told earlier there was
:23:07. > :23:10.going to be another delay? Wended Keith Brown know about this
:23:11. > :23:14.situation? And was the date regarded by the Scottish government to bury
:23:15. > :23:20.bad news because all the attention is elsewhere? A couple of lorries
:23:21. > :23:23.caused closures this winter but now drivers will be hoping there is no
:23:24. > :23:31.further disruption to either crossing. It is a grey day in
:23:32. > :23:39.Westminster, let's get the weather now. There was some sunshine around
:23:40. > :23:45.especially in the north-west. Contrast this with the East Coast,
:23:46. > :23:50.it is quite murky in St Andrews. Cloudy and dump for all of us but
:23:51. > :23:55.reasonably mild. Outbreaks of rain moving northwards in the next few
:23:56. > :23:59.hours, quite messy progress edging northwards, eventually reaching
:24:00. > :24:04.Shetland by midnight, and as we head through the early hours, that rain
:24:05. > :24:10.fading away. There will be some mist and Merck around but fairly mild
:24:11. > :24:14.with temperatures in towns and cities 9-8. Tomorrow gets off to a
:24:15. > :24:21.reasonably dry at cloudy start with the odd spot of drizzle. Like today,
:24:22. > :24:26.the rain arouse from the South. North of any higher ground, some
:24:27. > :24:31.morning sunshine at clouding over as this rain arrives. By mid-afternoon,
:24:32. > :24:37.the rain starting to peter out so, reasonably dry. The exact timing of
:24:38. > :24:40.that clearing is open to doubt but we hope many areas should improve
:24:41. > :24:44.and should be brighter than what we are seeing here. In the sunshine,
:24:45. > :24:50.temperatures into the teens but all of us in the mild temperatures. And
:24:51. > :24:55.some brightness coming through, particularly across the far north.
:24:56. > :25:00.Into the evening, some outbreaks of rain in the south edging northwards,
:25:01. > :25:05.and that unsettled theme continues towards Friday, with more wet
:25:06. > :25:13.weather edging northwards from the south. For Friday, a bit of an East-
:25:14. > :25:20.West split, ad rates of rain in the West, the further east you are, the
:25:21. > :25:26.brighter it is. The timing of this rain on Friday is uncertain but some
:25:27. > :25:31.sunshine hopefully to follow. The beginning of April, April showers on
:25:32. > :25:33.Saturday, some heavy. Sunday, generally drier and brighter but
:25:34. > :25:35.fresher. That's the forecast. The clock has started on the process
:25:36. > :25:38.that will see the UK leaving the European Union
:25:39. > :25:40.but there is a long road ahead before it becomes clear
:25:41. > :25:42.what the impact will be. There is also the prospect
:25:43. > :25:46.of a second independence referendum. Well, to consider that I'm joined
:25:47. > :25:48.by the BBC's political Laura, amid the massive task
:25:49. > :25:56.of negotiating Brexit, does the Prime Minister
:25:57. > :26:09.have a strategy to address I think there is a strategy. In the
:26:10. > :26:14.big picture, it's almost hold your hand up and not now. She said it
:26:15. > :26:18.publicly but never ruled out the possibility of it ever happening.
:26:19. > :26:22.The second part of the strategy is we are in a situation where the UK
:26:23. > :26:26.Government doesn't want to contemplate this vote any time soon,
:26:27. > :26:32.that's as clear as day. Given the events of the last couple of weeks,
:26:33. > :26:36.we will now see a more careful consideration, a more constant
:26:37. > :26:41.checking in the discussions that happen, how would this policy or
:26:42. > :26:45.discussion play in Holyrood? How would this particularly thorny
:26:46. > :26:49.problem and fold if it were unfolding in Scotland? How would
:26:50. > :26:51.people see things from a Scottish perspective? Everything that
:26:52. > :26:56.happened in the last couple of weeks have put this issue is slap bang on
:26:57. > :27:00.the table, which means that while the government's position hasn't
:27:01. > :27:10.changed in terms of saying, let's go for it, you can have the vote, it
:27:11. > :27:13.has moved the priorities of how things will sound in Scottish is and
:27:14. > :27:14.look to Scottish eyes higher up the table than they were a few weeks
:27:15. > :27:15.look to Scottish eyes higher up the ago. Thank you very much for joining
:27:16. > :27:16.us. And that's the end of this
:27:17. > :27:18.edition of Reporting Don't forget that special programme
:27:19. > :27:22.on Brexit beginning after this. From all of us, to quote the EU
:27:23. > :27:24.President Donald Tusk when he received the Prime Minister's
:27:25. > :27:29.letter, thank you and goodbye.