29/03/2017 BBC News at One


29/03/2017

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The official process for the UK to leave

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After more than four decades as a member of the European Union,

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the United Kingdom is setting off on its own path.

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This was the moment - half an hour ago -

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when the letter triggering Article 50 was handed over in

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Brussels to the President of the European Council.

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Today the Government acts on the democratic

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We are going to take control of the things that

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matter most to us and we are going to take this opportunity

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a country that our children and grandchildren

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Two years of talks now begin, with warnings from Europe's top

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negotiator that today is "day one of a very difficult road".

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Westminster Bridge is closed again, exactly a week after Khalid Masood

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killed four people, as events to remember his victims are held.

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And in sport - another successful trial of video technology

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in international football, could see the FA introduce it

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After 44 years as a member of the European Union,

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the formal process to take the United Kingdom out

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In the last hour a letter, signed by Theresa May,

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has been handed to the President of the European Council,

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In it she says the referendum was a "vote to restore Britains's

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She said the UK was "leaving the European Union,

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Our political correspondent Carole Walker reports.

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This was the moment S the UK really began its departure from the

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European Union. The British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim

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Barrow, handed the President of the European Council, to us to us Turks

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- Donald Tusk, the letter signed by the Prime Minister, triggering the

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Brexit negotiations. Minutes later, the Prime Minister confirmed the

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significance of the moment. The Article 50 process is now under way

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and in accordance with the wishes of the British people, the United

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Kingdom is leaving the European Union. This is an disforic moment,

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from which there can now be no turning back. -- historic moment.

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Britain is leaving the European Union. We'll make our own decisions

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and own laws. We'll take control of the things that matter most to us.

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She spoke of her fierce determination to get a deal that

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works for everyone, but acknowledged the consequences of Brexit. We know

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that we'll lose influence over the rules that affect the European

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economy. We know that UK companies that trade with the EU will have to

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align with rules agreed by institutions with which we are no

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longer a part, just as we do in other overseas markets, and we

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accept that. However, we approach these talks constructively,

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respectfully, and in a spirit of sincere cooperation. Earlier, she'd

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summoned the Cabinet to Downing Street to brief them on the

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document. REPORTER: Is no deal Bert than a bad deal -- better. Key

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ministers had been working on a strategy for nine months. Now the

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tough talking begins. Every negotiation is about give and take

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on both sides. We have to go into this discussion, understanding and

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accepting that we will have to do some give and take to get the

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best-possible deal for Britain. Already it's deleer just how hard

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it's going to be -- it's clear just how hard it is going to be for the

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Prime Minister to fulfil her ambition of bringing the country

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together. There are stark divisions in her party, in Parliament and

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across the country. People have very different views on what they want

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and expect from a Brexit deal. At Question Type, the SNP said Scotland

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should be given a say at the end of the negotiations. Given that

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everybody else will have a choice at that time... Will the people of

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Scotland have a can choice? Now is not the time to be talking about a

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second independence referendum. On today of all days, we should be

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coming together as a United Kingdom, to get the best deal for Britain.

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And other opponents are delivering their own warnings. If the Prime

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Minister comes back with no deal she'll have failed. It is the worst

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of all possible outcomes. We certainly wouldn't support that. But

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pro-Brexit campaigners are upbeat about the way ahead. There'll be

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arguments over the next two years about trade deals and fishing rights

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but actually the big thing is - two years from now we are going to be an

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independent self-governing nation and I couldn't be happier. So, we

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have the Prime Minister's objective in writing. Now the work begins - to

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get an agreement which is acceptable across the EU and across the UK.

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So two years of formal talks are now under way,

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negotiations which will shape the future of this country

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But there's already been a warning from the EU's chief negotiator,

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that today is day one of a very difficult road.

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Here's our Europe Correspondent Damian Grammaticas.

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After a relationship lasting 44 years, this is how it starts to end.

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Sir Tim Barrow personally delivering Theresa May's letter. The UK's

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permanent representative to the EU left his office this morning, his

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mission - to serve notice to Donald Tusk of our intention to leave the

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EU. Just a couple of minutes later he arrived at the European Council.

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This is a step that has enormous ramifications. Formerly now the

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clock is ticking. Two years to negotiate exit. And in his brief

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case, the outline of the deal that Theresa May wishes to achieve to end

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our membership of the EU. It all began over four decades ago,

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the then Prime Minister, Ted Heath, taking the UK into what was an

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economic community, and pledging to expand it further. The European

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communities, far from creating barriers, have served to extend

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East-West trade, Britain, I hope you will agree, has much to contribute

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to this process and as members of the community, we shall be better

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able to do so. That's exactly what Margaret Thatcher did, pressing for

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the creation of a continent-wide single market, shaping the EU in the

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UK's mould. After her, John Major went further, agreeing to the

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creation of an even deeper union, a single currency, even more members

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but opposition in the UK grew and eventually last year's referendum

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was lost. Geoff Meade, has' covered the EU for three decades say there

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is still concern at the heart of the EU that other nations could follow

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the UK out There is still the fear that maybe, somehow, maybe not long

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down the road, others will get the same idea. Although I have to say

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I'm not aware of any Member States that thinks leaving this club is a

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good idea. Yes changing it, yes maybe leaving the single currency

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but leaving it it is a very, very big step. And the EU's other members

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have moved to halt the central fewal forces, last year in very marked 50

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years since the EU's creation by apledging allegiance to the project,

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determined they say it won't fail, even as the UK heads for the exit.

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Let's speak to Norman Smith. An historic day, an historic moment for

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the country. It is and also marks a new stage in the Brexit process. We

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move from the rhetoric of Brexit to the reality. From the promises

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phase, to delivery and what we saw from Theresa May today and in her

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letter to Donald Tusk, is Theresa May wants a deal. This is Theresa

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May not the Brexiteer warrior, but Theresa May the deal-maker. She

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again says - if we don't get an agreement, then we will leave the EU

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and fall back on World Trade Organisation terms, but that is not

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what she wants. A point underlined, too, by the Chancellor, Philip

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Hammond, who slapped down Boris Johnson's suggestion a few weeks ago

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that it would be absolutely OK to leave without a deal. Now, the

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outlines of what Theresa May wants, we know a lot of it. We know she

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wants to take back control of immigration. We know we are not

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going to be part of the single market. We know we want to end

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jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. But in the letter, I

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think we get a sense of some areas where Mrs May could be willing to

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compromise. Above all, on money. She says the UK will be willing to

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discuss our rights and obligations. In other words, money owing to the

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EU. She also says that we would be prepared to discuss an

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implementation period - in other words, there could be time before we

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finally leave the EU. But any deal that Mrs May does with the EU,

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remember, she has to come back here to Westminster and to the British

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public to sell it. Norman, thank you. Let's go to

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Brussels and Damian Grammaticus. I have a copy of the letter here which

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I'm sure an awful lot of people were pouring to right now. It was only

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handed to Donald Tusk an hour ago but has there been reaction? There

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has. We have a copy of the letter here, too, which has just been

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released and what has also just happened is Donald Tusk has just

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appeared, made his first staple. In that he said he would not pretend it

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was a happy day. -- made his first statement.

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He said he already "misses you" to the UK and "there would be nothing

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to win in the coming negotiations", he said it was do damage limitation

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but he interestingly wept on to say that something positive already has

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come from Brexit, his view was that the EU 27, the other 27 states, he

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said, have come much closer together and forged a united position and

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that will be the position they take into those coming negotiations. Mr

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Tusk made one other thing very clear, too. He said that EU law will

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continue to apply in and to the UK up until the point it leaves. So,

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making very clear some of the UK's basic conditions, nothing changes

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until the UK formally exists the union. So what happens now? This

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time next month EU leaders will meet, without Theresa May to discuss

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the next step. Negotiations could then begin in May or June.

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But how likely is a deal within two years?

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Our correspondent Wyre Davies reports.

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We've had nine months to come to terms with it. The British people

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have spoken and the answer is - we're out. And today the clock

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really started ticking. After the shock and rancour that followed the

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referendum, time for the warring parties in Westminster and Brussels

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to put their differences aside. If they're to come up with a deal

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that's in the best interests of Britain and Europe. But it won't be

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easy. The European Council's President,

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Donald Tusk, has promised to have a draft document ready within 48

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hours. But before formal talks can begin, the other 27 EU member

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nations will have to agree on a common way forward at a special

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summit at the end of April. With David Davis leading

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negotiations for the UK and Michel Barnier from the European Commission

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on the EU side, talks will kick off in late May or early June. But there

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will be sticking points from the off, in particular, over what to

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talk about first. Some in Brussels seem determined to make the British

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Government pay, quite literally, perhaps as much as ?50 billion, to

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settle its various commitments before a settlement can be reached.

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For UK negotiators establishing future trade agreements are a

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priority but it is insisted that any deal cannot be as good as

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membership. We want a fair deal for the UK but that deal necessarily

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needs to be inferior to membership. There is concern all around on the

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status and #2350u tour rights of EU citizens living here. -- future. And

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others living in Europe but for others, the I aboutest stumbling

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block will be trade The idea of a fully comprehensive trade deal with

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the EU at the end of two years I think is a big stretch. Not because

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we can't negotiate that. It is because the EU seems to be

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determined to re-erect trade barriers when the rest of the world

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is trying to bring them down. With the final agreement needing to be

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ratified by the UK Parliament, the European Parliament, and the

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European Council, it might leave only 17 months for actual

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negotiations. It all sounds rather a tall order, in such a short space of

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The starting gun has been fired - the official process

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for the UK to leave the European Union has begun.

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We are going to take control of the things that matter most to us and we

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are going to take this opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain,

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a country that our children and grandchildren are proud to call

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home. After a controversial cross code

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switch from Rugby league to Union, New Zealand born winger

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Denny Solomona pledges his international future to England

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having qualified under residency Well it's nine months since that

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historic day last June when the United Kingdom voted

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to leave the European Union So as the UK starts

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out on its own road - how are people who voted to leave

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and to remain now feeling? We report now from two cities

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who wanted different futures. Our correspondent Fiona Trott

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has been to Sunderland where they voted Leave -

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and Jon Kay is in Bristol - The SS Great Britain, built by

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Brunel but where is Great Britain heading now. Out. Out. But here in

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Bristol almost two thirds of voters wanted to stay in the EU. On the

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River taxi many thought it was a bleak day. The government is

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embarking on a journey and has no idea where it is going, it has no

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idea what it is doing and is not in control of negotiations are now on.

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The Brexit journey may now be underweight but among Remainer is we

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found a sense that all is not lost. So it is going to happen. I do not

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believe it is, I believe the narrative will change and people

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will have their voices heard eventually. But they were heard in

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the referendum. A very mild squeak. It was so close. It was almost

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50-50. People may change their minds at the end of the day and then

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Article 50 could be revoked. You're not just clinging on. It is not a

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case of clinging on but campaigning on the things you believe in.

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Traders have sailed into Bristol docks for centuries from all over

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the world. This boat builder has seen orders increased since the

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referendum due to the fall in the pound. We do not need immigration to

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come in and take work away from the unskilled. And for John The Boss

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this is a good day for the UK. The main reason I am pro-Brexit was

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sovereignty and the second reason, to open up to the rest of the world.

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Back on the ferry and Mike the skipper says it is time for both

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sides to back the government as it steers its way through the

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negotiations. The thing is it is now an accomplished fact and we've got

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to get on with it. Whether we like it or not. But in this probe remains

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city many are nervous today. And expect the next couple of years at

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least to be tough. Welcome to the largest brewery in

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Leeds. The team here produce 70,000 pints a week. Business began ten

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years ago and the idea of Brexit make them nervous. But not any more.

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The Boss believes Article 50 will make things clearer. It is going to

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be in some ways quite nice for negotiations to begin so that

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businesses and ordinary people across the country will actually

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have some idea of what the vote to leave the EU is actually going to

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look like. High on the hills in Teesdale this family are more

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concerned for the farmers like them rely on EU subsidies and because of

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Brexit the government has promised to match the money up until 2020.

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But what about the following years. If we get support from the

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government then we will still be fine here but if not, you know, we

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will not be able to be a farm, the business will not stack up and John

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will have to go to work elsewhere. Working elsewhere is not an option

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these men even want to consider. They came to County Durham from

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Poland and they have made it their home. We are just thinking do not

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take me home, please. I've been here for five years. The fear in

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Sunderland is this is the day most voters have been waiting for and the

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reasons why are clear. -- here in Sunderland. I think it will be good

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to have our own rules and regulations. We will have control of

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the borders again and I know a lot of people want that. Outside the

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Winter Gardens in Sunderland, a protest by remaining voters. The

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numbers are small. That is because 61% of people here voted to leave.

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The majority are not demonstrating, they're celebrating.

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The implications of today are obviously huge for

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the United Kingdom as a whole but also for the individual nations

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of Scotland and Wales as well as for Northern Ireland.

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Lorna Gordon is in Edinburgh, Sian Lloyd is in Cardiff

:19:24.:19:25.

and Chris Buckler is on the border of Northern Ireland

:19:26.:19:28.

Scotland wanted to remain in the EU. That is right for Theresa May bus

:19:29.:19:44.

morning said it was her expectation the devolved government would seek a

:19:45.:19:48.

significant increase in their powers as a result of the Brexit process.

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But the potentially tricky thing for her is that 62% of people in

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Scotland voted to remain as part of the EU and just yesterday the First

:19:57.:20:01.

Minister Nicola Sturgeon got a mandate from the parliament here at

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Holyrood to seek authorisation to hold a second independence

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referendum. The idea that referendum opposed by the prounion parties here

:20:10.:20:13.

and opposed by the government at Westminster. Their position is

:20:14.:20:18.

hardening not just now is not the time but they do not believe there

:20:19.:20:21.

should be a referendum until some point considerably into the future.

:20:22.:20:25.

Nicola Sturgeon this morning has said her government will continue to

:20:26.:20:29.

do everything that it can to make Scotland an attractive place for

:20:30.:20:32.

investment in the week summer months to come but she argues that Brexit

:20:33.:20:37.

would be a significant and profound change for Scotland and she insists

:20:38.:20:42.

that people here must be given the chance to vote on their future, be

:20:43.:20:47.

it in the UK or as an independent country before the UK leads the EU.

:20:48.:20:57.

Wales voted to leave the EU by 52.5% and there is a recognition of that

:20:58.:21:01.

by the First Minister Carwyn Jones when he said today that he will be

:21:02.:21:06.

working with the UK Government to secure the best future for Wales,

:21:07.:21:12.

that he will be looking to protect Welsh businesses, jobs and the

:21:13.:21:19.

economy here. And he said that if he felt the Welsh Labour leader had

:21:20.:21:22.

voiced his concerns are ready about the future of Welsh agriculture and

:21:23.:21:26.

he told Assembly Members here yesterday that the current economic

:21:27.:21:31.

subsidies that the sector receive may not be replaced by 2024 that the

:21:32.:21:37.

leader of the Welsh Conservatives described that this morning as

:21:38.:21:41.

scaremongering. He said there was no evidence of that. He said people

:21:42.:21:45.

living in the most deprived communities in Wales would be

:21:46.:21:50.

represented by the brightest and best in negotiating the deal. Across

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the Irish Sea I'm standing at what will be the U:K.'s only land border

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with another European country. One of about 260 crossings between

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Northern Ireland and the Republic, the river is a kind of dividing

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line. There are many connections across that not just for those who

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visit family and friends but also even for public services, in some

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cases health treatment and of course there is a huge amount of trade that

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crosses the border on a regular basis. Some whether they may need to

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be some physical presence to the border, perhaps

:22:27.:22:42.

customs. Both the British and Irish governments say they want to keep

:22:43.:22:45.

the roads completely open but of course that will be down to

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negotiations. The other thing to mention is Northern Ireland, their

:22:49.:22:50.

government of course has collapsed, power-sharing currently in a state

:22:51.:22:52.

of a pretty bad state frankly at Stormont. As a result there is

:22:53.:22:54.

concern that Northern Ireland's voice will not be heard at the top

:22:55.:22:57.

table when these talks place. Irish republicans have been listening

:22:58.:22:59.

closely to what has been said in Scotland about an independence

:23:00.:23:01.

referendum there. They point out Northern Ireland also voted to stay

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inside the EU and as a result there are calling for a border poll and a

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referendum on Irish unity. Ultimately Brexit has proved

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divisive at Stormont and will continue to have an impact on life

:23:12.:23:12.

in politics here. Well as we prepare to leave,

:23:13.:23:14.

one of the issues that will have to be resolved is what happens to EU

:23:15.:23:17.

citizens in Britain, and British Our Europe Correspondent Gavin Lee

:23:18.:23:20.

sent this from Spain. Benidorm feels a long

:23:21.:23:26.

way from Brussels. But when Article 50 is triggered

:23:27.:23:36.

there today it will affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of British

:23:37.:23:39.

people in Spain. Whether it is for better

:23:40.:23:45.

or for worse, Brexit is happening. And here on the south coast of Spain

:23:46.:23:49.

where there are more British expats than anywhere else in Europe,

:23:50.:23:52.

it is causing anxiety. What happens to their pensions,

:23:53.:23:55.

their free access to health care and their right to stay

:23:56.:23:57.

here in the years to come? At the Costa Blanca Male Voice

:23:58.:24:00.

Choir, Keith Livesey is considering packing up

:24:01.:24:08.

and returning to Britain Well, I gave up my

:24:09.:24:10.

residency three weeks ago. So I had to go to England

:24:11.:24:17.

in January and I have started But I just cannot personally see

:24:18.:24:21.

the British Government giving half a billion pounds to Spain

:24:22.:24:27.

so I can stay here. I am lucky, but I mean,

:24:28.:24:32.

if I was put in this situation and I had to make a decision,

:24:33.:24:39.

I would not go back to the UK. Along the coast, El Campeo is home

:24:40.:24:43.

to many people who have adjusted Who have mixed feelings

:24:44.:24:46.

on what is going on back home. I don't like being dictated

:24:47.:24:52.

to by bureaucrats in Brussels I'm not very happy

:24:53.:25:00.

with the immigration I'm Babs, I've lived

:25:01.:25:08.

in Spain now for nine years. I worry mainly for my health care

:25:09.:25:12.

and I worry about my pension and I also worry that we will be

:25:13.:25:18.

losing many, many friends Both British and EU negotiators say

:25:19.:25:21.

they want the issues of the future of Europeans in the UK and Brits

:25:22.:25:30.

in Europe to be one A view reflected here too

:25:31.:25:33.

for the Brits on the other Gavin Lee, BBC News,

:25:34.:25:38.

on the Costa Blanca, Spain. Almost exactly a week ago Khalid

:25:39.:25:57.

Masood drove at high speed across the Westminster Bridge behind me

:25:58.:26:00.

before fatally stabbing a police officer. Well at the time of the

:26:01.:26:04.

attack people will gather on the bridge from a minutes silence.

:26:05.:26:06.

Meanwhile inquests have been opened into the deaths of the four people

:26:07.:26:10.

who were killed. Richard Lister is that Westminster coroner 's Court.

:26:11.:26:17.

The coroner Fiona Wilcox began by acknowledging how difficult this

:26:18.:26:19.

must be for the families of those killed last week. There were

:26:20.:26:24.

emotional scenes in court as the causes of death were rather for each

:26:25.:26:27.

of the victims. Aysha Frade who was a mother of two, 75-year-old Leslie

:26:28.:26:31.

Rhodes from south London, an American tourist Kurt Cochran, who

:26:32.:26:39.

was 54 and of course PC Keith Palmer killed by Kalamazoo at the gates of

:26:40.:26:42.

Parliament. The inquest has now been adjourned until the 25th of April,

:26:43.:26:47.

there will be a separate inquest opening tomorrow into Kalamazoo. Now

:26:48.:26:51.

the BBC has spoken to the man who employed Khalid Masood and said he

:26:52.:26:54.

was a popular teacher and he thought he had put his violent past behind

:26:55.:26:56.

him. Khalid Masood, who killed

:26:57.:26:59.

and caused horrific injuries. A man who here in Luton taught

:27:00.:27:01.

English as a foreign language. How his former boss, Farasat,

:27:02.:27:05.

who didn't want to show his It took me about a day

:27:06.:27:12.

before it dawned on me that it was actually him

:27:13.:27:18.

who did the crime. I was bewildered, shocked, angry,

:27:19.:27:20.

in disbelief, really. What did he do, what were his

:27:21.:27:22.

habits, where did he go? I only knew him in

:27:23.:27:28.

the office environment. He would come in, he would teach,

:27:29.:27:31.

pop into my office for a cup He spoke a little

:27:32.:27:35.

bit about his past. Farasat told us Masood prayed

:27:36.:27:38.

during his lunch hour. A practising Muslim,

:27:39.:27:42.

but he wasn't an extremist. His period in Luton and before,

:27:43.:27:48.

he wasn't a radical. In prison, in Saudi Arabia,

:27:49.:27:52.

and in the period he spent in Luton. If he was, I definitely would have

:27:53.:27:55.

identified those signs. Once again a town defending itself

:27:56.:27:57.

against links with terrorism. But if Masood was radicalised,

:27:58.:28:02.

prominent voices within this The inquest was brought forward by

:28:03.:28:20.

one hour to allow the families of those killed to take part in a

:28:21.:28:23.

ceremony on Westminster Bridge this afternoon. You can see the bridge

:28:24.:28:29.

here, it will be closed ( to allow community organisations, religious

:28:30.:28:32.

groups and police officers to join hands right across the length of the

:28:33.:28:36.

bridge in a demonstration of unity. And after that there will be a

:28:37.:28:41.

minute of silence, that will start at 2:40pm, just moments before

:28:42.:28:45.

Khalid Masood began bad drive across the bridge with such terrible

:28:46.:28:48.

consequences. -- that drive. Almost it from us -

:28:49.:28:50.

but let's get a last word from our europe correspondent

:28:51.:28:53.

Damian Grammaticus in Brussles Norman, you have had a look at this

:28:54.:29:03.

letter sent by the Prime Minister to Donald Tusk in Brussels, what stands

:29:04.:29:08.

out for you? Much of it is familiar, no surprises. We will be leaving the

:29:09.:29:13.

single market, Theresa May wants an early deal on EU nationals, but what

:29:14.:29:19.

is really striking is the tone of this letter. This is not a red

:29:20.:29:24.

letter, a final warning letter demanding this, threatening that. It

:29:25.:29:29.

is an emollient, considered chic and even friendly letter. Just to give

:29:30.:29:33.

you a couple of the phrases. Theresa May talks about a deep and special

:29:34.:29:37.

partnership, we hope to enjoy, as your closest friend and neighbour.

:29:38.:29:43.

And then a separate section, she goes on to say, we want to make sure

:29:44.:29:48.

that Europe remain strong and prosperous and is capable of

:29:49.:29:52.

projecting its values. Leading in the world and defending itself from

:29:53.:29:56.

security threats. That is a letter which is much harder for European

:29:57.:30:01.

leaders to reject. Secondly, interesting what is not in the

:30:02.:30:04.

letter. No mention of the customs union. No mention of the European

:30:05.:30:09.

Court, no mention of immigration. Could those be areas where Theresa

:30:10.:30:15.

May is prepared to compromise M and Damon grammatical is in Brussels,

:30:16.:30:19.

tough language already coming from Brussels. Nothing to win here for

:30:20.:30:23.

the UK is the message they're giving today. Exactly. I was telling you

:30:24.:30:29.

earlier that Donald Tusk and made some remarks, we now have heard from

:30:30.:30:35.

him and this is what he had to say. So here it is, six pages. The

:30:36.:30:45.

notification from Prime Minister Theresa May triggering Article 50.

:30:46.:30:52.

And formally starting the negotiations of the United Kingdom's

:30:53.:30:59.

withdrawal from the European Union. There is no reason to pretend that

:31:00.:31:04.

this is a happy day. Neither in Brussels nor in London. And of

:31:05.:31:13.

course the interesting thing I think as Norman was saying, the tone of

:31:14.:31:17.

this letter, very different from the speech Theresa May gave back in

:31:18.:31:20.

January. That will be picked up on by European leaders here, Theresa

:31:21.:31:25.

May saying the referendum was not an attempt to do harm to the European

:31:26.:31:29.

Union, the UK once the European Union to succeed. All of that will

:31:30.:31:34.

be well received. But what Donald Tusk also said in his comments, he

:31:35.:31:38.

feels EU countries are more united than ever in their response to

:31:39.:31:44.

Brexit and that I think is what we will see, United 27 now beginning

:31:45.:31:50.

the process of negotiating the UK. And just to let you know Andrew

:31:51.:31:56.

Neill will be interviewing the Prime Minister on Britain and the EU, the

:31:57.:31:59.

Brexit interviews, that is tonight on BBC One at seven o'clock. And

:32:00.:32:03.

full coverage throughout the afternoon of

:32:04.:32:04.

Here's Phil Avery in the BBC Weather Centre.

:32:05.:32:13.

Not very much of this sort of thing going on across the British Isles

:32:14.:32:18.

nor indeed across the western side of Europe just at the moment. It is

:32:19.:32:25.

fairly cloudy for many of our correspondence, many of you and that

:32:26.:32:28.

has been captured wonderfully yet again by the Weather Watchers. Here

:32:29.:32:31.

again in Rotherham, rather cloudy and the cloud has got enough about

:32:32.:32:37.

it across western areas for some moderate bursts of rain. And indeed

:32:38.:32:45.

later on this afternoon some of the rain will be reaching up into the

:32:46.:32:56.

Isle of Skye. Just clipping into the eastern side of Northern Ireland but

:32:57.:33:01.

some drier weather further west. But the rainfall totals beginning to

:33:02.:33:04.

mount up across the Brecon Beacons and far west of Cornwall. Generally

:33:05.:33:11.

speaking the south east Midlands, a brighter picture for some. Through

:33:12.:33:15.

the evening and overnight, quite a burst of rain up across the greater

:33:16.:33:19.

part of northern England and across Scotland as well. Enough crowd and

:33:20.:33:22.

southerly breeze coming on behind for it to be not a cold night by any

:33:23.:33:27.

means. These are the kind of values we would expect to see by day at

:33:28.:33:30.

this time of year. But on Thursday the same kind of flight path for the

:33:31.:33:37.

heaviest of the rain. Up into the borders of Scotland and beyond. But

:33:38.:33:42.

in the south-eastern quarter is probably the warmest day of the year

:33:43.:33:46.

so far and we could be pushing towards 20, 20 1 degrees. And even

:33:47.:33:51.

underneath the cloud and rain temperature is well above average

:33:52.:33:56.

for the time of year. By Friday, low pressure close by to the western and

:33:57.:34:01.

southern Scotland, gradually drifting further north with time.

:34:02.:34:05.

Brighter skies further south, a fresh appeal but still temperature

:34:06.:34:09.

is above average. Then on into Saturday, a bit of a north-west

:34:10.:34:14.

breeze, plenty of showers on the breeze as well. But then Saturday

:34:15.:34:18.

and into Sunday, the ridge of high pressure really building in,

:34:19.:34:21.

dominating the weather across the British Isles. So no escaping the

:34:22.:34:26.

fact that Saturday will be a day of showers. And if you escape those you

:34:27.:34:30.

will be doing well. But come Sunday, with a high pressure building in, it

:34:31.:34:35.

will be a much drier and brighter affair across many parts of the

:34:36.:34:38.

British Isles and the even extend that into the start of next week.

:34:39.:34:41.

A reminder of our main story this lunchtime.

:34:42.:34:43.

The starting gun has been fired - the official process

:34:44.:34:45.

for the UK to leave the European Union has begun.

:34:46.:34:56.

We're going to take control of the things that matter most to us and

:34:57.:35:02.

take this opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain, a country

:35:03.:35:05.

that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home.

:35:06.:35:07.

That's all from the BBC News at One - so it's goodbye from me -

:35:08.:35:08.

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