society together and ensure that we make a huge success of leaving the european union?” thank my honourable friend. first of all, i would like to congratulate the new member for copeland. all, i would like to congratulate the new memberfor copeland. i look forward to welcoming her to this house very shortly. my honourable friend is absolutely right that last week‘s historic result in copeland was an endorsement of our plans to keep the economy strong. and our plans to ensure that places like copeland share in economic success after yea rs of copeland share in economic success after years of labour neglect. it was also an endorsement of our plans to unite communities where labour seek to sow division. i think it was an endorsement of offering strong, competent leadership in the face of labour‘s chaos. thank you, mr speaker. code ijoin the prime minister in wishing everyone in wales and all welsh people all around the world a very happy st david‘s day. but i also expressed hope that the workers at the ford plant in bridgend get today the assurances they need about theirjob to

european union. no surprise he argues and says he has been lobbied by brits who are very concerned about brexit and want some benefits of eu membership to continue. he has a particular pitch in this fight and it is an unsurprising statement from somebody like guy verhofstadt. behind me in one of the european council building meeting rooms the remaining 27 sitting down to discuss and map the future the european union without theresa may who left last night after talks. even though technically brexit divorce talks have not begun and cannot start until theresa may has triggered article 50 of the lisbon treaty which she says she will do by the end of march it is clear the separation has already started, britain is not in the room as the eu meets today to discuss its future. thank you. labour has accused the government of being in ‘disarray‘ after the prime minister said controversial tax rises for self—employed workers would not be put into legislation until the autumn. theresa may said the changes to national insurance, announced in the budget, were necessary and fair but said on the

power to begin formal negotiations on the uk's withdrawal from the european union. ministers are confident mps will reject two changes made by the house of lords. 0ne guarantees the rights of eu citizens living here, the other ensures parliament has a meaningful vote on any final deal. live to westminster and our assistant political editor norman smith. we say the final hurdle, is guaranteed? not guaranteed. it would have to be an extraordinary turn of events for the government to not get its brexit bill through the commons, through the lords by close of play tonight. david davis would have two, i don't know, poke tory rebels in the eye, burn down the houses, lay waste to their families to stoke up the kind of revolt needed. in the real world , the kind of revolt needed. in the real world, it is not going to happen. there are not enough tory rebels who are willing to defy the government. you may get half a dozen, ten, but you realistically need about 26 or so. that is not going to happen. i sent also there is not the mood for it. what they are after our words of reassurance, clar

european union is about to begin. that flag on the left will soon come down. the big question now, as the scottish government pushes again for independence is whether the union flag will flutter for much longer too. let's speak to our assistant political editor norman smith, who is in the houses of parliament. we are going to hearfrom we are going to hear from the we are going to hearfrom the prime minister, norman, at lunchtime. the prime minister will be making a statement about last week's eu summit. many people will be listening for her words about last night, when the house of commons and the house of lords approved the brexit bill, paving the way for mrs may to trigger article 50, expected towards the end of this month. striking the ease with which the legislation was passed. there were just nine conservative mps who abstained on the crucial vote. that was all. in the house of lords, the liberal democrats opposed by eve ryo ne liberal democrats opposed by everyone else pretty much through in the towel. you wonder whether that isa sign the towel. you wonder whether that is a

to secure the united kingdom's departure from the european union. applause. and at such moments of great national moment that define the character of the nation, we have a choice. we can look forward with choice. we can look forwarg gtg= and hope or give in to the optimism and hope or give in to the politics of fear and despair. i choose to believe in britain and ifififiié iii! eéliéfié lfi. gflfélfi. éfifi oui’ ifififiié iii! eéliéfié lfi. gflfélfi. éfifi our best days lie ahead. that our best days lie ahead. because while the road before us may be uncertain at times, i believe with the british people, it leads towards a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. a brighter future will notjust happen. the stronger country we want, just emerge, it. take want, just emerge, it will take effort and focus. discipline and ha rd effort and focus. discipline and hard work. and, above all, it requires we set out and deliver on a plan. so plan for britain is a plan for a brighterfuture, plan. so plan for britain is a plan for a brighter future, a pla

fallen in value since the vote to leave the european union. so we have the income squeeze at the same time. inflation is on the up and that will make it even more difficult for households? yes, the cost of food and other basic items are likely to increase faster over the next couple of years. it has been low inflation over the past couple of years which has helped living standards rise. cash earnings have not been growing quickly. that slow growth in earnings has been the defining feature right back to 2007. big earnings fell during the recession and the rise has been historically weak since then. from september, many households will get 30 hours free childcare week which will free up the earning potential for many families, how do you factor that in? we did not account for the potential responds to more generalist childcare provision but thatis generalist childcare provision but that is a small part of the population which will benefit. here we are looking at what happens in average across the whole british population. many thanks. theme park operator merlin entertainments boosted it

on wednesday at pretty much the same time that the european union turned 60 years old, what does the european commission president have to say about that? how would you feel on wednesday when the letter of notification arrives here in brussels? i will be sad, notification arrives here in brussels? iwill be sad, asi notification arrives here in brussels? iwill be sad, as i was sad when the referendum took place in britain. for me it is a tragedy. iam in britain. for me it is a tragedy. i am everything but in a hostile mood when it comes to britain. we will negotiate in a frank way, fairway and we're not naive. will there be a fee to pay? it will be a bill reflecting former commitments by the british government, the british parliament. there will be no sanctions, no punishment, nothing of that kind. i am strongly committed to preserve the rights of europeans living in britain and british people living in britain and british people living on the european continent. this is not about bargaining, it is about respecting human dignity. all next week we'll be answering all your questions

tour of all four nations of the uk before the process of leaving the european union formally begins on wednesday. it's an important time for brexit negotiations with a number of key discussions across the week. later today, the prime minister is expected to give a speech on unity, saying uk's union will become even more important as britain leaves the eu. tomorrow, msps in the scottish parliament are to vote on a whether scotland should have a second independence referendum following the brexit negotiations. on wednesday, the prime minister will officially begin britain's two year exit from the european union in which she'll write a letter to the eu commission triggering article 50 of the lisbon treaty. on thursday, the government will publish its white paper on the great repeal bill which outlines how it plans to transfer european legislation into british law. and on friday, the european commission president donald tusk is expected to outline the 27 nation's plan for brexit just 48 hours after receiving the formal confirmation. our correspondent catriona renton looks at today's vis

start of divorce proceedings from the european union. talks are expected to begin later this year and ministers will soon have to face the question of whether the uk owes money to the eu to cover past spending commitments. there have been suggestions that britain could owe brussels as much as £60—billion, but the brexit secretary, davis davis, told the bbc last night that he did not expect to see "that sort of money change hands". so what might the brexit bill be? chris morris has been investigating. i work reality check question, could the uk‘s divorce bill be as high as 60 billion euros? that figure is being floated in brussels, but is it realistic? 60 billion euros is about £52 billion at current exchange rates. it‘s what we can call the european commission‘s opening gambit. how has this eye watering lay large number being calculated? well, let‘s go to our blackboard. basically, if you take a value for the eu‘s liabilities, that‘s the money it owes, and you then subtract value for the eu‘s assets, the balance you take, and you divide it by the average uk share

and reaction throughout the day, from across the uk and european union. good morning. i'm outside the houses of parliament on college green ahead of the triggering of article 50 — which marks the start of the formal process for the uk to leave the eu. the prime minister, theresa may, has just left number ten downing st. she is on her way to parliament. she will be addressing mps this lunchtime after prime minister's questions. she will be telling mps that today marks the time for the country to come together as it embarks on what she describes as a momentous journey. we embarks on what she describes as a momentousjourney. we know that embarks on what she describes as a momentous journey. we know that the prime minister has already signed that letter giving official notice under article 50 of the lisbon treaty. that letter will be delivered later today. the british ambassador to the eu, sir tim barrow, will deliver the letter to european council president donald tusk at about lunchtime. the letter is several pages long and sets out mrs may's vision of how brexit negotiations will go.

extent, the debate has intensified after the uk as a whole voted to leave the european union, albeit that voters in scotland voted to remain. there is the suggestion that the snp leader and first minister in scotland, nicola sturgeon, will press for another vote on independence, so today prime minister theresa may came to the conference and made an unashamed... and unashamedly unionist case, arguing that scotland should remain in the uk and rejecting the snp argument that it is important for scotla nd argument that it is important for scotland to stay within the european single market and the european union, arguing that the uk market is much more important to scottish interests. in fact, the eu comes third after the rest of the uk and the rest of the rest of the uk and the rest of the world as a market for scottish goods. and yet the snp propose scottish independence, which would wrench scotland out of its biggest market. they think independence is the answer to every question in every circumstance, regardless of fa ct every circumstance, regardless of fact and reality. it simply do

out how it plans to incorporate thousands of pieces of european union law into uk legislation. the great repeal bill will be introduced in the house of commons by brexit secretary david davis in around half an hour's time. this is a big transformation. we shouldn't underestimate that we've got a task to do. it is momentous, but it is not beyond us. european leaders, including the german chancellor angela merkel, are discussing brexit at a meeting in malta. the other stories that are developing this hour... more brexit fallout as insurer lloyd's of london says it will establish a new european subsidiary in brussels. the search for a missing helicopter due to stop over at caernarfon airport is focusing on the snowdonia national park. health officials have published voluntary guidelines for limits on the amount of sugar they believe should be in everyday foods. i'm outside the houses of parliament in westminster. plans to make britain an "independent, sovereign" nation will be published this morning — just one day after theresa may started the process of brexit. the great repeal bil

. theresa may has suffered an early setback in her brexit negotiations, after the european union ruled out discussing any future trade deal at the same time as finalising the terms of the uk's withdrawal from the eu. the negotiating position was announced by the european council president, donald tusk, who is in malta. 0ur europe correspondent, chris morris asked mr tusk for more detail about his strategy. president task, your document talks about the fact that there will be no separate negotiations between individual member states and the uk. you talked a lot about unity in the past week but this makes it sound like you are worried that the uk will try to pick off individual countries and have those kind of negotiations. how can you be sure it will not happen? secondly the document talks about you won't move on to document talks about you won't move ontoa document talks about you won't move on to a second favour of negotiation involving trade talks on future trade relationships until sufficient progress has been made in the initial phase, what does an initial —— sufficient progres

parts coming from the european union and we export a huge amount to the continent. if you add the paperwork, the costs and vat you would have to pay and then reclaim, it isa would have to pay and then reclaim, it is a massive cost to accompany light gm europe and it would mean that this new company combining the three would be starting behind its competitors. all we -- we know the company is being taken over but we don't know what will happen. when will we find out? it is good to get certainty. the last few weeks we have been engaging with government, the unions and workers here to make sure theirjobs are secured, but the devil is in the detail. the next couple of years we need not only to hold psa to their assurances but also —— about manufacturing in the uk but also the government and brexit to make sure we have the kind of gay —— deal that has made automotive work so successful and keep it so in the future. we are hearing from the union that so far relatively preliminary talks by have had with the new owners have been in their words relatively positive. nevertheless it

european union. peers are to vote on an amendment to the brexit bill, which calls for parliament to be given a "meaningful" vote on a final deal. the prime minister's spokesman has said in the last few minutes that theresa may once the legislation to pass. theresa may is facing another great hulking defeat in the house of lords tonight in giving parliament effectively a veto over the final deal that theresa may strikes. downing street are adamant that to do so would fatally compromise mrs may's negotiating hand because it would encourage the eu to give theresa may a bad deal in the knowledge that mps would probably rejected which means she would have to go crawling back into the negotiating room, begging for a better deal, but it might mean that if she came away with no deal and mps rejected that she would have to stay in the eu but the signs are that she could be in difficulties in the lords tonight with even some conservative peers poised to vote against including the former pensions minister. if we want to incentivise the pensions minister. if we want to ince ntivise the people p

negotiations with the european union, we need to make this country strong and fit and ready for the future. in labour ranks there is an interesting discussion going on. the front bench are opposed to these changes, but some actually welcomed what philip hammond is doing because they think he is i running out a flaw in the tax system. they also think the changes are progressive and fairand they think the changes are progressive and fair and they question why a self—employed consultant, for example, earning £50,000, should ta ke example, earning £50,000, should take less tax than someone who just happens to work for a boss, although the shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell stressed this morning he would work with any tory rebels to try to defeat this move. what i did yesterday was address a basic continuing unfairness —— we'll get support wherever we can on this issue. why? i represent a constituency where there are a large number of self—employed, and i tell you, at the moment they're on the edge. they're on the edge because of this dip in consumer spending and what's happening in the econ