Brexit - What Next? The Andrew Neil and Tara Mills Interviews Britain & the EU: The Brexit Interviews

So, Prime Minister, the negotiations to leave the European Union began.

It is a historic moment for our country. In what ways will Britain

be a better country for leaving the European Union? You are absolutely

right, Andrew, that this is a historic moment for our country. We

are putting into place now the decisions that was taken in the

referendum of the 23rd of June last year to leave the European Union and

the formal process has begun. I have written to, as they say, invoke the

Article 50 people will have heard about which starts a process of

formal associations. As we look ahead to the outcome of the

negotiations I believe we should be optimistic as a country about what

we can achieve. I think when people voted last June, they voted for us

to be in control of our borders, our laws but I think people also voted

for change in the country and that is way alongside the work we are

doing on Brexit I can clear the Government has a plan for Britain to

build a more outward looking country, a stronger economy where

everyone plays by the same rules, a fairer society where success is

based on merit and a privilege and to make sure we are a more united

nation. Somewhere children and grandchildren can be protocol home.

But we couldn't have been better in all these ways and remained in the

European Union? British people decided they wanted to come out of

the European Union and I think when they made that vote, when they give

that very clear message to us as politicians, I think what they

wanted to see was the United Kingdom making its decisions and not feeling

that decisions were being taken in Brussels. It's in the I have sent to

trigger this formal process today, I make the point that we are not

rejecting Europe, we are not projecting values of democracy and

European values, we are saying it is about our national

self-determination as a United Kingdom and having control. You have

mentioned in control several times. So let me start with immigration.

They do that because from many people the scale of immigration over

the past ten years was a major, not the only reason, but a major reason

why they voted to leave, so can the people who voted that way be

reassured that immigration will be significant leader were after

Brexit? You are right, for a lot of people when they voted, immigration

was one of the key issues. I think what they wanted to know it was the

UK Government taking control of our borders, that decisions will be made

here in the UK. Obviously we want to see migration, net immigration

coming down, we have been able to put rules in place in relation to

people coming here to the UK from outside the European Union. Now as a

result leaving the European Union we will be able to put rules in place

decided here about the basis on which people can come from inside...

But will immigration be significantly lower after Brexit? I

think we will see a difference in the number of people coming in but I

was Home Secretary for six years and when you look at immigration you

constantly have to look at this issue because there are so many

variables, different things that can happen in the world but affect the

numbers of people trying to come here to the UK. What we will be able

to do as a result of leaving the EU is have control of our borders, set

those rules for people coming from outside, inside the European Union

into the UK, we haven't been able to do that so we will be able to have

control of those numbers, set the rules for that as we have been able

to set the rules for others in the past. So what will be rules be for

EU citizens coming here in the future? We are looking at the moment

that what we think should be right and we will be actually bringing

forward a bill in parliament in due course which will set out our

proposals. There are a couple of issues around people from European

Union. Of course there are quite a few people from the European Union

living here in the UK already. Some of them will have been here for a

considerable period of time, others will have come more recently. One of

the things I want to be able to do is to give them reassurance about

the future but they only want to do that when I know those UK citizens

who have moved over to countries in the European Union are also going to

have that reassurance and guarantees. I understand that but

I'm talking about people coming here in the future from the EU. Would you

envisage as part of a Brexit deal there would be some sort of

preference for EU citizens who want to come and work your? What I am

clear about is there will still be opportunities for people who want to

come to the UK from the EU but we will bring forward specific proposal

on what the rules should be in due course and those will go through our

Parliament and looked at by members of Parliament and we will decide

what those rules should be. We want to make sure of course that our

economy is so strong. We see many people here working in our in or

public sector. We want make sure that we still have the strong

economy but people want is to be in control and that is the important

thing and that is what will be doing. But the Conservatives

promised to cut migration to 100,000 a year to seven years ago, you are

still nowhere near that figure. Indeed non-EU migration, people

coming from beyond the EU, that migration alone is well over 100,000

a year. You must understand why people are sceptical about anything

you say on immigration? If you look at what has happened to those

migration figures, net immigration figures, over the last seven years,

they went up, they have come down and up again... They are still

really high. They are higher than they want me to be. You are

absolutely right about but that is what I have just said, it is

important. You can't just set once set of rules for immigration and

think that is the answer and you go away and forget about it. Have to

constantly be looking at this, constantly saying, have they got it

right? You can't reduce net migration to 100,000 without major

cuts in both EU and non-EU migration, isn't that right? We need

to continue to look across the board as well as introducing rules for

people from the European Union, we also need to continue looking across

the board. But there is something else we need to do as a country,

which is to make sure people here in the UK have the skills they need to

take the job is here so that businesses don't feel they have to

reach out overseas to bring people in all the time. One final thing on

immigration, the British economy has done better than most forecasters

said at the time of the referendum, it continues to do pretty well this

year. What happens if we continue to do well and you need more than

100,000 migrants a year? Would you let them in? One of the things as I

have just said is crucial to us as we look to our economy for the

future is for us to make sure that people here in the UK are getting

the training and education and skills they need to be able to take

on the jobs for that growing economy in the future. That is why as a

government we are putting more money in the technical education, ensuring

that young people have the opportunity to get the skills they

need. I want to see a high paid high skilled economy in the future but we

need to ensure that young people today are going to be able to take

those jobs tomorrow. The EU has talked of a one-off multi-billion

pound exit they, some have suggested it could be as much as ?50 billion,

maybe more. Would you contemplate some anything like that? One, people

voted last year, one of the things that voted for is that in future

outside the EU we are not paying significant sums of money on an

annual basis into the European Union. Of course we have to look at

the rights and obligations we have as a member of the EU is why we

continue to be a member until we leave we will continue carrying on

paying according to obligations. But would we pay an exit fee of a thing

like 50 billion? As we look at negotiations we have to decide what

the obligations are but what I very clear about is that what people want

to seek is that in the future we will be making decisions about our

Budget, we will be deciding not to pay those sums of money every year

into the European money. I understand we may continue to decide

with some programmes, and make contributions given that would leave

but I am not talking about that, I am talking about an exit fee that

the EU was talking about, is demanding almost, around 50 billion,

so I ask again, is that in the ballpark that you would contemplate?

You talk about an exit fee the EU is demanding. There has been a lot of

speculation. Actually there isn't a form of the month. Negotiations

haven't started yet. -- formal demand. I'm very clear about what

the people of the UK expect but I am also clear we are a law-abiding

nation, we will meet obligations that we have. As a member until the

point we leave we will be continuing to pay according to the rights and

obligations of the member so. Many people watching this will wonder, we

are leaving, why should we pay anything at all to the? We are not

talking about paying to leave, we will be leaving the European Union.

What we are talking about is ensuring that when we leave, first

of all, when we leave people will see that we will be taking decisions

about our Budget, we won't be required to make significant

payments every year into the EU's Budget. As you say there may be some

particular programmes we want to be members of that we wish to pay in

order to be members of because it will be the national interest to do

that and that is what will drive us. The European Union is talking about

a divorce Bill. Mr Barnier the head negotiator stopping about a divorce

Bill. Are we prepared to pay a divorce Bill? There has been a lot

of speculation and comment about these comments, we are not in

negotiations yet. We will start those from negotiations soon. We

have done the first step which is triggering Article 50 and as I have

said, the UK is a law-abiding nation and we will look at the rights and

obligations that we have. You mentioned already the importance of

EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU and they would

like to be reassured about the future. Do you believe you can

resolve and announce this quickly? One of the things I have put in the

letter to President task is precisely that I want to get an

early agreement about this. The task. Some people say to me that EU

citizens here are concerned about the future and I recognise that but

as UK Prime Minister I need to think about UK citizens who are living

abroad as well. I mentioned that... They could both be reassured

quickly. I want a reciprocal agreement in terms of guaranteeing

status of EU citizens and UK citizens and I have said they think

this should be done at an early stage. I believe from the talks I

have had with other leaders there is a good welfare, but there are those

who recognise the importance of -- will there. I think we will be able

to address this as one of the earlier things in the negotiations.

By early could it be this summer? I don't want to put a date on it but I

wanted to be as early as possible precisely because as you have just

said people are worried about their futures and I think it is only fair

to work to give them reassurance as soon as we can. You believe that

Brexit means we can no longer be recent of the single market, why? --

members. Other leaders in Europe have made very clear, they use this

term the four freedoms, they go together, they are indivisible. What

are they? The importance of free movement and we said we want to

control movement from the EU. It is the membership of the single market,

it entails accepting that freedom of movement. Also accepting the

jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. These are exactly things

that people voted to reject when they voted to leave the European

Union. And so I have accepted that we can't have that membership of the

single market because to do it would mean accepting things that the

voters have said they don't want. But what we can do, I believe, is to

get a really good trade agreement with the European Union in terms of

access for our businesses to their single market and of course for

their businesses to our market. But do you accept that no matter how

good a free trade deal you will get an an acceptable type to get the

best you can, no matter how good, it can't be as good as the unrestricted

access we currently enjoy as members of the single market? I believe that

what we will be working for and what I believe we can get is a

comprehensive free trade agreement. We are looking, we would like to see

as frictionless and free trade is possible, tariff free across borders

so that we can continue that trade with the European Union. But can it

be as good? It will be different, because it won't be a relationship

based on membership of the single market and based on accepting all

the other things that voters rejected. What it will be is saying

that we want that new partnership with the EU. We still want to work

with you and cooperate with you and actually getting a trade agreement

isn't just about the UK. It is not just about our businesses, it is

about You're Brexit Minister David Davis

said that there would be a deal that would deliver the exact same

benefits we enjoy right now. You and I know that cannot be true! The

European Union will never agree to the exact same benefits what was are

both looking for is that comprehensive free trade agreement

that gives that ability to trade freely into the European single

market. We want them to trade with us. It would be a different

relationship but I think it could have the same benefits in terms of

free access to trade. When we leave the EU and we end our membership of

?40 European agencies, security, health care, I want to ask you about

to specific ones, one of them is timely given the events in West

Minister last week, will our membership of Euro poll, the police

Europe-wide service, will that continue post-Brexit? That is one of

the things we will have to negotiate as part of the negotiations. I think

security cooperation in several matters is important for us. It is

not just Europol, there are systems about exchanging information about

people crossing borders, which I think are invaluable to us and

valuable to the other countries. Would you like to remain a member of

Europol? I would like a degree of cooperation on these matters that we

have currently. I have argued before for exactly this, when a couple of

years ago when we were looking at justice and Home Affairs matters, it

is important for us and I want us to be able to continue that degree of

cooperation. It will be part of the package of negotiations because at

the moment when we leave the European Union, unless we have

negotiated still to be members of those sorts of organisations and

arrangements, our membership will lapse. Would we then cease to share

information? We would not be able to access information in the same way

we would as a member and I think it is important that we are able to

negotiate a continuing relationship that enables us to work together.

Right at the moment, and of course this was brought home to us in

London last week, right at the moment, now is not the time given

the threats that we face across Europe for us to see less

cooperation, we want to continue that cooperation. Will UK citizens

still be eligible for free access to health care across the EU through

the European health insurance card? That also will be a matter that will

be part of the negotiations. We will be... There are two issues, the

issue of people who are currently resident in the European member

states and the rights that they have and then of course, the rights that

people will have as they move across Europe. We want to get the best

possible deal for its citizens here in the UK and I want the best

possible deal for everyone. We have a whole raft of negotiations that we

have to go through, a whole raft of issues that we will be looking at in

relation to these matters and we need the flexibility of being able

to deal with those issues and the relationship will be different in

the future. It is not necessarily a question of whether we will

replicate this or that, we will have a different relationship. You talk

about a whole raft of things, and a different relationship, you need to

negotiate the divorce terms and that this highly controversial. You want

a new free trade steel for goods and services, new crime-fighting

arrangements and new health arrangements and you need to

repatriate 50 trade agreements and you need to have it all ratified by

27 other countries as well as our own, all in under two years, that is

impossible! It is challenging but I think it is possible and the reason

I think it is possible is because of this, there are two reasons, first

of all I think it is possible because with goodwill on both sides,

I think both sides recognise that it is in our interests to make sure

that we get these arrangements in place so that when we leave, we have

got that trade arrangement and we know what it will be. There might be

a period of implementation after the point of withdrawal, but we know

what the arrangement is and everyone is certain about where the future

lies. It is in the interests of both sides to do this but the other

reason why think it is possible is because we are not a third country

in the sense that we are a country that has never been part of the

European Union, we have been part of the EU, we have been operating on

the same basis with them and I think that puts us in a different position

for the future and makes it easier for us to negotiate these

arrangements than if we were coming at it fresh. Do you rule out a

period, even after we leave, if things remain to be resolved? By the

end of two years, I want everyone to know what the withdrawal agreement

is and what the future relationship is. I have called it a deep and

special partnership with the EU, we are still part of Europe and we want

to work and co-operate with them and I want that agreed by the end of the

two years. It may be that there are has to be a period of implementation

as people and businesses are just as governments are just do it ever the

new arrangements are. If there is a transitional period, without still

involve the free movement of people and being under the jurisdiction of

the European Court or do both of these things have to end in two

years' time? We want to make sure that we are ending the jurisdiction

of the European court of justice and that we are able to control movement

of people coming from the European union. We want

to have the agreements done in two years, there may then be a period

during which we implement those arrangements, a simple example, if

there are different these arrangements, that need to be put in

place, governments will have to have the system is working so that they

can operate. There may be a period where we have got to implement the

decisions. You said in the event of no deal, we may have to change their

British economic model, what does that mean? On the no deal, I have

said that first of all, that would be better than a bad deal, we do not

want to see a bad deal and I say that because I think there are some

people in Europe who talk about punishing the UK and I don't want to

sign up to an agreement that is based on that. There are others here

who perhaps feel that we should be so keen to get an agreement that we

might sign up to things that British people rejected when they voted to

leave the European Union. What does a different economic model mean?

What I have said in the letter today, if we do not get a deal, then

we would go on to what are called these World Trade Organisation

arrangements for trading and in those circumstances, I have made

clear, that is not what we should want. I will come to the point about

the economic model but it is not in the interests of either side, I

think, to have those arrangements. It is not just about us, it is about

the EU as well, what ever comes out, we want to ensure we continue to

have a competitive economy and that is what we will be looking at. What

does a different economic model mean? We would take decisions at the

time as to what we felt was necessary to keep our economy

competitive, here in the United Kingdom, to make sure that we are

putting in place the arrangements for a business that keep jobs. We do

work to do that. I am not sure what are new economic model is. Labour

say it is a tax haven. Labour set up all sorts of straw men about what

this might be in the future. It is about making sure that job stay here

in the UK and new jobs are created. It is about making sure we have the

economy that enables people to have those high-paid and high skilled

jobs and we are ensuring that young people here have skills the future.

Let me ask one important question, if we do not get a deal, will not

jeopardise our existing cooperation against crime and terrorism with our

European partners? If there is no deal, without that week it? If I can

separate bills, on some of the cooperation we have, with them on

terrorism, that takes place outside the European Union and the

structures of the European Union. If we do not get a deal on the sort of

security arrangements I was talking about earlier, the exchange of

information at our borders, then I think that is one of the reasons why

we should aim not to be in the position of getting no deal, but

instead getting a good deal, that cooperation is important. We are

leaving the customs union, Ireland is not, do you accept that that must

mean tax on the Irish border? We are very clear and I have spoken to the

government in the Republic and the Taoiseach, we do not want to see a

return to the borders of the past and we are working very closely with

the Irish government about the arrangements that can be put in

place to ensure a frictionless border in a practical

sense, for goods and services and people travelling between Northern

Ireland and the Republic. The Leave campaign promised a Brexit dividend

of ?350 million a week, much of which they said to be spent on the

NHS, how big do you think the dividend will be and do you think

most of it should go to the NHS? People want what they voted for and

for the UK to be able to decide how it spends its budget, not to be

spending significant sums of money every year paying into the European

Union and paying it to Brussels. When we leave, we will have control

of that money and we will decide how we spend it. I think that is what

people want. How big will it be? We will be, as part of the

negotiations, we will ensure we are not paying those significant sums in

the future and we will then be able to see what the size of that

dividend will be and then determine how that money is spent. There are

lots of things that we need to think about. It was the NHS on the side of

the bus! During the referendum, there were points made often

passionately on both sides of the argument. We are now beyond the

referendum, we are now at the point where we are putting this into

practice, where we are starting what will be complex, challenging, but I

think achievable negotiations and I am optimistic about what we can

achieve in the future. What people voted for is for us to have control

and that is what we will have. You have rejected the demands of the

Scottish First Minister for a second independence referendum and you say

it is not the time, but what about when

you have done the Brexit deal and we know what it involves, would you

still rule out a second Scottish referendum? The comment I am getting

from the Scottish Government and the SNP are that they want confirmation

now that they are going to have a second independence referendum. What

I am saying is, I think now is not the time and I think now is not the

time to be focusing on it. I accept you do not like the timing, but what

about later, when the Brexit deal is done? The Scottish people can see

what it looks like, they voted to remain in the EU, people would argue

they deserve a second decision, are you against it in principle? Can I

explain what I said, this is relevant? Now is not the time to

focus on a second independence referendum or to be looking at that

second independence referendum, because, for two reasons, now is the

time when we need to pull together as the United Kingdom. We need to be

talking about how we can work together to get the best possible

deal for everybody across the whole of the United Kingdom and focusing

on an independence referendum is not about doing that and that is why it

is so important for us to ensure that we do focus on the future...

And also I think it is important that we recognise, I think Andrew,

the question is not whether there could be a second referendum, it is

whether there should be. The people of Scotland voted in 2014, they

voted to stay part of the United Kingdom, the SNP described it as a

once in a generation, once opportunity to vote for

independence, the people gave their message, just as we are respecting

the referendum that took place here last year on EU membership, so we

should all all respect the 2014 Scottish referendum. During the

referendum you said you believed it was clearly in our national interest

to remain a member of the EU and now you say that Brexit will build a

better Britain, who is the real Theresa May? I did campaign for

Remain and I did vote to Remain but I also said I did not think this guy

would fall in if we left the European Union and it has not. It

looks like you're doing the mother of all U-turns. I have been put in a

position as Prime Minister, I believe, to respect the wishes of

the people of the United Kingdom in that referendum and I believe it is

my job now to deliver the best possible future for the UK and that

is why... It is not just about Brexit, it is about my plan for

Britain, more outward looking Britain, a fairer society and a

stronger economy and the United nation and it is about taking out

forward which is about building a brighter future for everyone in the

UK. If it is for the will of the British people, when you do the

deal, when it is clear the terms under which we will leave the EU,

why would you not take that to the country, either in

the second referendum, or go to the country in a General Election and

get the people to vote for the deal that you do? When we have the deal,

there will be a vote in the UK Parliament. There will be votes in

parliaments across Europe, because they will need to be a process. That

is right way to do it, to say to the UK Parliament, this is your

opportunity to vote for this deal. I am confident that we are going to

get a deal that is going to be good for the British people. The British

people have basically said, go and get on with it. We want to leave the

EU, get on with it and that is what we will do. Thank you.

Well, we leave Downing Street and you join us in the BBC Newsline

studio for a special Brexit programme.

Brexit must not harm the peace process or the UK's unique

relationship with the Republic - Theresa May's words

in her letter triggering the formal Brexit process.

We are very clear, both I and I have talked to the Government in the

Republic, the Taoiseach about this, we are clear we don't want to see a

return to the borders of the past and we're working very closely with

the Irish government about the arrangements that can be put in

place to ensure a frictionless border in a practical sense, if

frictionless border for goods and services and people travelling

between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

We'll be getting reaction to that and the day's

events from politicians and business representatives.

Before that here's a quick look at the likely timeline.

So, today Article 50 was triggered, formally beginning

On 29 April the leaders of other 27 EU countries will hold a Brexit

summit and adopt guidelines for negotiations with UK.

In the autumn of 2017 negotiations begin in earnest, most likely

Then a year later both sides aim to have a deal concluded,

allowing six months for it to be ratified by various parliaments.

Let's hear now from the DUP and Sinn Fein.

I'm joined by Christopher Stalford and John O'Dowd.

Christopher Stalford, no certainty on health care, immigration, trade.

How can you share the confidence of the British Government? I think

firstly and most importantly this is the fulfilment of the desires

expressed by the British people in the referendum. And people sometimes

get very cynical about politics and think voting doesn't change things

but here we have a Prime Minister who was on the side of Remain during

the referendum campaign implementing the expressed will of the people of

this country. So this is a momentous and historic day. But how can you be

certain we won't be damaged? The fact is we are entering a period of

negotiation. We have all sorts of tactics trying to prevent us getting

to this point, people running after the courts to try and nullify the

outcome of the referendum that we are now here and I believe firmly

not only in relation to our own unique situation with the Republic

of Ireland but also in terms of the other EU member states if there is a

will to resolve the issues that need to be resolved, I believe that a

weight can be found and I believe we are right to be optimistic about the

future of this country but I say that not only in relation to

Northern Ireland but in relation to the United Kingdom as a whole.

People are nervous. I accept people are nervous and people have concerns

but that is why whether you were four Remain of Leave in the

referendum it is now incumbent upon all of us to work together to secure

the best outcome for the people. John O'Dowd, I want to bring you in.

Your emphasis today has been on special status, surely that has

already been ruled out it is a happen? Anyone who has been

listening to be interview by Theresa May is found there is no answers to

any questions that were put to hurt other than it will be sorted out in

negotiations. But that is the way she can answer. So there is no deal.

Brexit is not a complete package. But special status has been ruled

out. Voices in Europe say there requires there to be special studies

and circumstances, unique circumstances on the island around

all have to be dealt with so be Brexit deal is not yet complete so

there is an onus on local political parties, the Irish government and

Europe who have been contributors to the peace process to ensure we do

have a special studies. Special circumstances here. Ensuring that

are unique make-up of this society, you can try the unique economic

pressures are the result of Brexit are all dealt with in a special

circumstance. No one is arguing there are not special circumstances

but what are you specifically looking for? We are looking for

membership of the EU, protected. We are looking to ensure the rights and

entitlements of citizens currently under EU membership are protected,

that the economic realities of living on this island are enshrined

in any agreement. And that we can citizens live under the terms of the

Good Friday Agreement, accessed the protections that EU membership

offers. So you want to stay in the EU? Ideally. But we now have to

reach agreement with other political parties in which we are attempting

to rebuild the power sharing agreement with but ideally want to

stay on in the EU but that are unique relationships already within

the EU with different countries and regions of countries within the EU

so that is not a unique thing we are asking for. The EU has been

imaginative in the past and we are asking for the EU and the British

Government and local party to be much it now. There may well be

opposition from other members of the EU who don't want to see Northern

Ireland getting special status or arrangements. There may well be but

let's make sure it ensure those countries are talked to and dialogue

takes place to explain the unique circumstances. Let's see what

challenges they have and let's deal with those countries and talk

through their concerns. But we can't do that without a devolved Assembly.

I think this is an important point. We do require a devolved Assembly

and a local voice that I attended meetings with the British government

along with the Scottish and Welsh executives and the Scottish and

Welsh gave detailed papers of the British Government. None of those

have been taken into account by the British Government. So has the

British Government ignored the devolved in situations? That is

certainly what Scotland and Wales are appealing? It is important to

note that a majority of people in Wales voted to leave. If they are

trying to prevent Wales for leaving the rest... But they want a good

deal just as much as Northern Ireland and Scotland. So do we all

and it is important we recognise the fact we are being hamstrung by not

having devolved institutions of drumming and I certainly want to see

that happen and want to see government -- up and running.

Raising the sorts of issues that are unique to Northern Ireland but I

think it is important to note people talk about respecting mandates. More

people voted to leave the European Union in the United Kingdom than

have ever voted for any political party or any proposition on a ballot

paper in our history. But it is a difficult one because more people in

Northern Ireland, and you talk about democracy, did vote to Remain. But

the question on the ballot paper related to should the United Kingdom

remain a member of the European Union. As the DUP promoting Brexit

not been a disaster? A united Ireland is now being talked about

more than it has been for years and is the potential break-up of the

United Kingdom with Scotland potentially. There is irony in this

that nationalists who apparently tell us they hate being ruled by the

London insist on being ruled by Brussels. I am confident in their

unionism and confident that actually the challenge for unionist parties

actually lies in the fact we need to encourage the huge majority of

people who I believe would vote for the union in a referendum to vote

for unionist parties and that is the challenge going forward. John

O'Dowd, it displays will for Sinn Fein, doesn't it, because it gives

you a disastrous backdrop you would argue to promote a united Ireland?

We don't want a disastrous back-up to promote a united Ireland. We want

a stable economy and a stable society across the island of

Ireland. The question of reunification stands alone in my

opinion but Brexit has raised the issue and not only among

nationalists and republicans but also unionists. I am not saying it

is a significant number but there are no unions to question where

their identity lies. Does lie in an inward looking state or a state

which is outward looking? I have to come back on that. Let me finish.

Does their future lay in an outward looking state which has a

relationship with the European Union or does it lie in an inward looking

British? The future of the people of Northern Ireland lies in a truly

global United Kingdom, not... They had just resigned from... Not

manacled to an ever decreasing trading block. Our future lies

looking absolutely positively to the rest of the world. Thank you both

for joining us. The border and how it will operate

is of course one of the key concerns Vehicle checkpoints,

security checks and long queues. Routes were blocked with concrete

bollards along the hundreds In her Article 50 letter today

Theresa May said she wanted to avoid a return to a hard border

and to ensure the UK's withdrawal from the EU does

not harm the Republic. Our Ireland correspondent

Chris Buckler is on the border It was only 70 years ago that this

bridge actually opened, paid for by European money and connecting

counties Monaghan and Tyrone, the towns of class lock and Culloden.

Previously wrote in this area were sometimes blown up by the Army for

security reasons. Nobody is going to use this road for some time without

a major basic of engineering work. It could be easily filled in. What

happened there? They will come and blow it up again. It is no surprise

that people who have lived here are some of those years can remember and

see the real difference there has been in the last few years. That

speak to Sammy Leslie Crombie sunny Leslie stayed and also William

Beatty has been involved in regeneration of this area for some

time. Told today by the European Parliament that is not going to be a

hard board. That must be a relief to you. That is a relief of growing up

this was a hole in the road and there were no tourist here. Over

years tourism has grown but it is still fragile and it will need all

sort of support. Tourists have so made choices. They will take the

easy choice and stay away from areas they think are going to be in their

perception difficult to travel in and it is giving them the confidence

and making it still an easy area to come and see. So how do you make the

border attractive? I do you make it disappear or it is never going to

happen for you make it a feature. There is so much history and

heritage. This order was first created 4000 years ago. Tell the

stories of the border area. Join up the Christian history and tell the

stories of the border. William, I mentioned that European money helped

fund this bridge and of other things as well. Presumably that money from

the EU is going to be missed on the northern side of border. Yes, I grew

up on a road just half a mile from here and I can remember at the time

before this bridge was blown up and I remember the times after that, but

I also remember the last 20 years when there has been a great sea

change. Community development has been at the heart of that and

European money has been at the heart of that. We have a regeneration

partnership in the village. Presumably there is a concern the

European money is going to go? First money after we got was the money for

the comprehensive development plan for the village and then that was

followed on by the formation of the Blackwater region and partnership

which is a joint initiative by three. The funding that came through

was peace money and interregnum money and I think that wasn't all

the money because there was government money, but the European

money kick-started all of that. You can see of course what difference it

makes when you stand here. You take a look at the bridge that has been

built. Things are going to change but how the border changes

ultimately is down to the negotiations themselves, Tara. Thank

you. Joining me now SDLP MLA

Sinead Bradley, Steve Aiken from the Ulster Unionist Party

and the Alliance Steven Farry, we have heard from the

border there and this idea of a seamless border hasn't been spelt

out yet, is that your biggest concern? Think the biggest concern I

have going forward is how we will deal with the billion euros worth of

tread a week that goes as heresy -- Steve I can. What is done to make it

seems. The United Kingdom has been a trading nation for well over 1000

years. It will make the border system work. The question we need to

do is how we keep the trade moving and the movement of people going,

how we can keep the Common travel area up and how we can build all

these things together. We as a party are talking about trying to get an

enabling treaty between the United Kingdom and Republic of band which

deals with the modalities of this issue and I think that is important

going forward. -- Republic of Ireland. It comes with things like

that rules, rules for freight, all the little things that need to be

sorted out. If we can make trade and movement as seamless as possible we

can get away from any concerns we have about the border going forward.

Sinead, a lot of the economic disaster predicted as in so far

materialised, do you share Theresa May's optimism today but really we

can go forward and have a fairer United Kingdom? Of course Theresa

May was her usual very composed and rehearsed self, but if one thing was

clear it was that Theresa May does not have a plan and she does not

have any clear idea of what the implications of a Brexit will

actually mean. In particular I will look in the Northern Ireland

context. There was a promise that the Prime Minister would be here

ahead of any triggering, that didn't happen and I suggest the token

gesture that has been nodded to Northern Ireland to date indicates

that really I have no confidence and the SDLP has no competence in a

Conservative government leading us through a Brexit deal. What about

the special new increased powers for devolved assemblies, does that not

give you confidence that if we do get devolution up and running again

we might have more power? There are so many variables there and

unfortunately one thing we can all agree on is that business no matter

what type of sector it is in, business does not like instability

and unfortunately there are so many issues there that businesses are

asking and trying to make decisions based on. Northern Ireland in

particular is the single region that has most difficulty and no answers.

We have no answers to date and we are no further on but we have a

determined Theresa May that is going ahead with this regardless of the

majority of voices from Northern Ireland and regardless of the

possible consequences to businesses and life in general in Northern

Ireland. When it comes to Borders, other

countries manage this, like Canada and the US, do you not think it can

be sorted out? It is an actual hard border. If you look at Norway and

Sweden. There has to be physical checks. Technology could be used but

if we leave the customs union and we will see a situation where there has

to be some degree of physical checks. Some of the terms you will

hear our rules of origin, we have to police what comes into Northern

Ireland, it cannot be a back door in abuse of the rules. Do we need a

border? We need to work out a special deal involving Northern

Ireland staying part of the single market and on the right side of the

customs union and they are major challenges. They are fundamentally

in our interest. This is a sad day for the UK, it will be a diminished

nation and Northern Ireland is in a real dilemma. Northern Ireland works

on the basis of sharing and interdependence. Brexit is about

making hard choices on borders and that is not in our interest. Thank

you for joining us. The European Union -

and the Republic especially - accounts for the majority

of Northern Ireland's Many businesses have voiced

concern over what might happen with the border

and new customs arrangements. But others are focussed

on the potential new trade that could be secured on better terms

outside the European Union. Our business correspondent

Julian O'Neill has more. It has been said that today marks

the point of no return and the government will seek to strike a new

trade deal with the EU by the time Brexit happens in two years' time.

There are anxieties among the many larger scale local businesses.

Ultimately, there is concern about the risk of tariffs, disruption to

supply chains and uncertainty around European workers. The stakes are

high for exporters, the EU and the republic especially our big markets

and many firms hope new arrangements will not damage business. Once freed

from the EU, the UK will pursue trade deals independently and this

company which makes construction machinery near rich ale has dealers

in the likes of Singapore and seize opportunities. The growth in the

world is in Asia and south America and North America and Europe has not

grown in ten years and I think focusing more on the higher growth

areas of the world, for our business, will give us better

opportunities. Local trade unions were almost unanimous in opposing

Brexit and taking stock today are worried about the prospects of a

good deal. Yes, there are possibilities in terms of trade, new

links in the Far East and the US and things like that, but trade with the

Republic of Ireland and within the European

Union should not have hampered that and suddenly the idea that these

great possibilities will come to Northern Ireland beyond the EU with

Brexit is probably wishful thinking, I think. No one knows what is to

come. It is like any other business deal, both sides are talking about

the worst position and the compromise will be somewhat better,

I think than anything that has been mentioned in the press. It was

business as usual here after the referendum and so it will be until

March, 2019 and the Nat -- between now and then, negotiators hold the

futures of firms like this in their hands.

Let's hear now what the business community makes of what the Prime

Trevor Lockhart is vice-chair of the CBI in Northern Ireland

and Irwin Armstrong is chief executive of CIGA

Trevor, were you reassured by the statement by Theresa May today?

Today is a pivotal day in the history of Northern Ireland,

businesses in Northern Ireland, regardless of how they voted last

year and are now determined to make a success Brexit. Brexit, the

majority of the business community reflected the population, they would

have preferred to Remain. Businesses recognise the potential

opportunities but there are some very real threats and those threats

are grounded in the uncertainties around people movement, and the

uncertainties around trade relationships and they need

resolution before can have confidence that the opportunities

can be turned into reality. Theresa May set out principles in her letter

which are hard to disagree with but the devil will be in the detail and

the business community needs a strong voice and that strong voice

could be best delivered from Northern Ireland through a

functioning executive which unfortunately we do not have. You

wanted to Leave, to sell goods into the EU after Brexit, we will still

need tough regulations and still need to abide by the regulations

that the EU have and this whole idea of the bonfire of the red tape will

not materialise, will it? No, it never did materialise in our

business because protectionism within the European Union, which was

designed to keep everyone out, for us there was no single market. I

have been travelling in the last six weeks, I have been to North America,

Africa, China, they want to do business with us and those areas are

expending, particularly Africa and the Middle East and the Far East. I

am optimistic, I think Theresa May today, Northern Ireland featured in

her letter, Michel Barnier, the chief negotiator said he would

ensure there is not a hardboard, and Kenny said they would not be won,

David Davis as well, I am very happy that we will not have a hard border

and I will doubt if we will have any border, whatever border we have

between the north and south of Ireland will be the same border that

we have between England and France. We cannot have a different border.

Trevor you are a Chief Executive of the farmers cooperative, do farmers

see it as an opportunity to get into those markets? When you look at the

agri- food industry, we have ?700 million worth of goods being traded

to the Republic, 40% of the people who work full-time in those

companies are EU nationals and when you look at the average

profitability of food, Ms, it is 3%. If you applied WTO tariffs to the

food, they range between 7% and 65% and if you are a food company in

Northern Ireland with significant levels of exports, you do not need

to be a mathematician to work out the threat presented by Brexit.

There are real issues to be dealt with and beyond Brexit we will have

to develop a new agricultural policy for the UK and we have seen so far

the UK Government has been less than supportive of agriculture, so whilst

there are opportunities, there are threats. You have laid out how it

works for your business but what about the farmers and other

businesses that will not benefit or potentially will not benefit? I

think Theresa May set it out clearly. She wants free trade. If we

are not going to have free trade, it will not be because the UK did not

wanted, it will be because the EU stopped it and Ireland is within the

EU, so I'd EU going to treat Ireland in such

a way that 45% off their food exports actually go to the UK? Are

at the EU going to attempt to destroy the Irish economy? I do not

think so. A lot of people have talked about a special case for

Northern Ireland, what we may actually see is a special case for

the south of Ireland within the EU to trade with the UK. That is the

direction I think we would end up going then. Thank you.

It's our biggest manufacturing industry.

It's said to support close to a hundred thousand jobs.

Agriculture and the food sector will probably have to deal

with the biggest change of all when this

Our agriculture and environment correspondent Conor Macauley has

been to Limavady to meet one farmer who'll be producing

My father bought this farm in 1946. We are still here. Hugh McCollum was

working the land here when the UK went into Europe. He says his beef

operation will be more challenging after Brexit, but he will not really

be sorry to see the back of the subsidies. He believes is guaranteed

payments from Europe meant farmers were charged inflated prices for

things like feed and fertiliser and he hopes that will change. And he

concedes that local producers cannot compete with intensively produced

and imported meat. They have to find another way to make their beef

bounce off the shelves in much the same way as his cattle on the first

day of spring grass. They are like racehorses when they get out! We are

going to have to rely on the consumers and the general public.

There will be a change, for the farming sector, but the general

public, we over the years have developed systems, health standards,

we are at the top of the tree, that is what we will have to promote to

our customers. There is a big change coming for farmers, but consumers as

well may soon have a choice to make. For a long time, people have been

used to getting relatively cheap food and the question now is whether

they would be prepared to pay extra for locally produced premium

products. And that was one of the topics being considered at a

conference outside Belfast this week. Which will policy favour?

Would come down on the side of UK producers with costly welfare

standards the side of cheap imported food, were standards may not be so

rigorous? If we were to move to a liberal trading environment, with

relatively low-cost imports coming in, from third countries, it would

really be a difficult circle to square. It would put pressure on the

industry, a big challenge in terms of maintaining its competitiveness

in trading environment. Whatever about the global picture, the local

trading landscape is what is interesting now. In the short-term,

things like tariffs and customs controls with the Irish Republic

could have an immediate impact. Particularly in sectors like dairy

and sheep weather is a big cross-border trade. All the

uncertainty around future subsidies and access to markets is making some

farmers think very carefully about the future. In the back of the minds

of farmers there is a realisation that things are going to change and

things may look different and I think in our discussions around the

countryside, I think we are finding that for some of the businesses,

they are starting to think of where it their business might be going and

can they survive in the future, whatever it may look like? Hugh

McCollum believes there is a future in farming not just for him but for

his son he is coming behind him. The change of, he says, will be sore at

the start, but it will be the same game, just a whole new set of rules.

Conor McAuley, BBC Newsline, Ballykelly.

Joining me now our political editor Mark Devenport and our economics

That point about agriculture that Berman Armstrong brought up, about

the Republic having special status, is that a runner? I'm not sure how

that will work, but what is clear is that the European Commission is

taking a generous approach to the whole problem of Northern Ireland,

partly because they have this emotional attachment to the peace

process and they do not want anything to disrupt that but partly

because the Irish Republic is still a loyal member of the European Union

and they do not want to punish one of their own.

That is a factor they will take into account, not just in relation to

agriculture but across the broader range of concerns in terms of EU

funding and the border. We still do not know how the border will work.

No return to the borders of the past is what everyone says and all the

main players are on the same page. They do not want to return to

customs post. There has been a suggestion that there could be a

situation like Norway and Sweden, but there are customs posts there

are, what ever will be propose will have to be even more seamless. There

has been vague talk about technology, to work this border,

ultimately, what they may have to be is a realisation that they will

not get a special status and the SDLP, how much pressure can they

realistically exert? If you're talking about special status in the

EU, the UK Government has effectively ruled that out. There

are is room to negotiate about special arrangements in relation to

Northern Ireland and because the European Commission is so keen not

to disrupt things or see any kind of trouble flaring up in all of this, I

think that there is quite a lot of scope for that. As John was saying,

we had yet to see how it will be spelled-out in practice, a lot of

talk of new technology, but that could take longer than the period of

transition to put it in place. Should businesses be worried? Some

of them should be concerned, if we get a bad deal or a deal worked

tariffs would be imposed, but whatever deal we get it is highly

likely that there would be more Administration. There will be a

period were businesses will have to adjust and they will have to police

the migration system, we will see businesses do more form filling and

in some circumstances, we could end up with more red tape rather than

less. Thank you. Interesting to hear your thoughts on an historic and

momentous day. So, today marks a symbolic

milestone, setting the UK on the road to the biggest

constitutional change in a lifetime. As we've been hearing,

exiting the EU will have an impact in our farms and in our factories,

on our families and on our future. We've had a lot of discussion

about what it might mean for the border, something that's

referenced in the Prime And we have looked at some of the

issues. For now, though, on the day

that Article 50 became