In Hartlepool, a tough, proud port town whipped by bitter North Sea winds, people have long felt ignored by politicians in far-off London.

Not now, in Britain's Brexit-dominated early election.

Britain's political parties are battling to win Hartlepool and places like it: working-class former industrial towns whose voters could hold the key to the prime minister's 10 Downing Street office.

Once, it would have been no contest.

Hartlepool has elected lawmakers from the left-of-centre Labour Party for more than half a century.

But in 2016, almost 70% of voters here backed leaving the European Union.

More than three years later, the UK is still an EU member, and loyalty to Labour has been eroded by frustration.

Trawlers still land with holds full of fish, lobster and crab; but the number of boats has fallen, and fishermen rail against the quotas and red tape imposed by the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.

Fisherman Robert Corner, 74, says he will be voting for the Conservative Party on December 12.

"I am voting Conservative for the first time in my life this vote. I hope Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) fetches us out of this friggen EU," he said.

Fellow fisherman Steve Horsley agrees and feels the Labour Party offers "nothing" to people like him.

"l've always been a Labour voter," said Diane Jordan, a hypnotherapist enjoying an evening of music and bingo at the Hartlepool Working Mans Club. "My parents were always Labour: my grandparents were always Labour. Hartlepool's always been Labour and now I'm not going to go Labour."

Jordan is now considering voting for the Conservative Party for the first time.

That's good news for Johnson, who pushed for the December 12 election, more than two years early, in hope of breaking Britain's parliamentary deadlock over Brexit.

If he gets a majority of the 650 House of Commons seats, he will be able to ratify his EU divorce deal – which he withdrew from Parliament last month after lawmakers demanded more time to scrutinize it – and take Britain out of the bloc as scheduled on January 31.

Tom O'Grady, a lecturer in political science at University College London, said the Conservatives need to win seats like Hartlepool to compensate for the likely loss of pro-EU areas in southern England and Scotland.

"They're going to have to gain seats in the north of England and the Midlands from Labour if they're going to win a big majority at this election," he said.

But the Conservatives' challenge is complicated by the insurgent Brexit Party, led by veteran eurosceptic Nigel Farage.

Farage rejects Johnson's deal with the EU because it would keep the UK bound to the bloc's rules until the end of 2020, and possibly longer.

He'd rather leave the EU without an agreement, which would free Britain to strike new trade deals around the world.

It would also, according to most economists, leave the country poorer, by imposing barriers to business with the EU, Britain's biggest trading partner.

Supporters of a "hard Brexit" like Farage dismiss such claims, and accuse both Conservatives and Labour of watering down and delaying Brexit.

Hartlepool, where the Brexit Party controls the town council, is the party's top target in the election.

Richard Tice, the Brexit Party chairman and its candidate for Hartlepool hopes to win over former Labour voters who support Brexit.

"I am telling voters in Hartlepool they have been let down and betrayed by the Labour Party - that is betraying them on Brexit and has had a MP in this constituency for over 60 years and actually they have let down the voters here. I am going to pledge I am going to get a proper Brexit done. I am going to bring money and jobs into Hartlepool."

Mike Hill, who has been Hartlepool's Labour lawmaker since 2017 and is running for re-election, says he's not worried.  

Labour's complex stance on Brexit – it wants to renegotiate the divorce deal, then hold a new referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain – has angered some supporters.

But the party hopes its focus on social issues such as crime, health care and welfare – all affected by a decade of Conservative public-spending cuts – matters more to voters than Brexit.

He predicted locals might not warm to Tice, a wealthy property developer from the south of England.

"The Brexit Party seem to think they can come here with some southern billionaire candidate and just waltz into the place. Well, the people of Hartlepool are not fools," Hill said. "They can see right through that."

++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE REPLAYING THIS STORY, WHICH RAN ON 13 NOVEMBER 2019, AS PART OF OUR UNITED KINGDOM ELECTION COVERAGE++

ARCHIVE: Hartlepool - 11 November 2019

1. Various of colourful houses on the Hartlepool shoreline

2. Various of lighthouse

3. Close up of Hartlepool Borough Council sign

4. Various of fishermen offloading crabs from a fishing trawler

5. Fisherman Steve Horsley working on a fishing net

6. Horsley and fisherman Robert Corner working on a fishing net

7. Corner holding fishing net

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Corner, fisherman:

"My father, my mother, everybody voted Labour (UK opposition party). Now I voted UKIP (UK Independence Party) for the last...twice (last two elections) and I am voting Conservative (UK ruling party) for the first time in my life this vote. I hope Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) fetches us out of this friggen EU."

9. Tilt up of Horsley working on a fishing net

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Horsley, fisherman:

"Well (Brexit Party leader, Nigel) Farage started it off and the he walked away from it didn't he? You know I mean what was that about? And (Labour Party leader, Jeremy) Corbyn he has nothing at all for the likes of us people I don't think. Nothing at all."

11. Wide of Hartlepool Working Mans Club

12. Close of Hartlepool Working Mans Club sign

ARCHIVE: Hartlepool - 10 November 2019

13. Various of people in Hartlepool Working Mans Club

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Diana Jordan, hypnotherapist:

"I have always been classed as a Labour voter because my parents were always Labour, my grandparents were always Labour, Hartlepool has always been Labour and now I am not going to go Labour."

15. Various of lorry driver Clive Jordan at Hartlepool Working Mans Club

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Clive Jordan, lorry driver:

"I voted Labour all my life, but because of the way certain people are in Labour I have gone off of them now. I am not voting Labour no more. They've literally just blew it with me now."

ARCHIVE: London - 12 November 2019

17. Various of Tom O'Grady, lecturer in quantitative political science at UCL (University College London)

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom O'Grady, lecturer in quantitative political science at UCL:

"Seats like Hartlepool are seats where, if the Conservatives are going to win a big majority, they have to win seats like that. Hartlepool, about the 110th seat on the Conservatives' list of gains, but because the Conservatives are going to probably lose seats in Scotland to the Scottish National Party and lose seats in the south of England to the Liberal Democrats, they're going to have to gain seats in the north of England and the Midlands from Labour if they're going to win a big majority at this election."

ARCHIVE: Hartlepool - 11 November 2019

19. Various of a decommissioned oil rig at Hartlepool ship recycling facility

20. Wide of Brexit Party banner in Hartlepool town centre

21. Richard Tice, Brexit Party chairman and candidate for Hartlepool, talking to media

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Tice, Brexit Party candidate for Hartlepool:

"I am telling voters in Hartlepool they have been let down and betrayed by the Labour Party - that is betraying them on Brexit and has had a MP in this constituency for over 60 years and actually they have let down the voters here. I am going to pledge I am going to get a proper Brexit done. I am going to bring money and jobs into Hartlepool."

23. Wide of Labour Party campaigners including Hartlepool MP Mike Hill (red jacket) meeting in a parking lot

24. Close of Labour Party rosette on Hill's jacket

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Hill, Labour Party MP in Hartlepool:

"The Brexit Party seem to think they come here with some southern billionaire candidate (Tice) and just waltz in the place. Well, the people of Hartlepool are not fools. They can see right through that and they'll consider somebody thinking that they can parachute into this constituency as bit of an insult to be absolutely honest, because the town deserves better."

26. Various of Hill handing out Labour Party pamphlets

27. Close of Labour Party pamphlet comparing the Conservatives and Brexit Party with Labour

In Hartlepool, a tough, proud port town whipped by bitter North Sea winds, people have long felt ignored by politicians in far-off London.

Not now, in Britain's Brexit-dominated early election.

Britain's political parties are battling to win Hartlepool and places like it: working-class former industrial towns whose voters could hold the key to the prime minister's 10 Downing Street office.

Once, it would have been no contest.

Hartlepool has elected lawmakers from the left-of-center Labour Party for more than half a century.

But in 2016, almost 70% of voters here backed leaving the European Union.

More than three years later, the UK is still an EU member, and loyalty to Labour has been eroded by frustration.

Trawlers still land with holds full of fish, lobster and crab; but the number of boats has fallen, and fishermen rail against the quotas and red tape imposed by the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.

Fisherman Robert Corner, 74, says he will be voting for the Conservative Party on December 12.

"I am voting Conservative for the first time in my life this vote. I hope Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) fetches us out of this friggen EU," he said.

Fellow fisherman Steve Horsley agrees and feels the Labour Party offers "nothing" to people like him.

"l've always been a Labour voter," said Diane Jordan, a hypnotherapist enjoying an evening of music and bingo at the Hartlepool Working Mans Club. "My parents were always Labour: my grandparents were always Labour. Hartlepool's always been Labour and now I'm not going to go Labour."

Jordan is now considering voting for the Conservative Party for the first time.

That's good news for Johnson, who pushed for the December 12 election, more than two years early, in hope of breaking Britain's parliamentary deadlock over Brexit.

If he gets a majority of the 650 House of Commons seats, he will be able to ratify his EU divorce deal – which he withdrew from Parliament last month after lawmakers demanded more time to scrutinize it – and take Britain out of the bloc as scheduled on January 31.

Tom O'Grady, a lecturer in political science at University College London, said the Conservatives need to win seats like Hartlepool to compensate for the likely loss of pro-EU areas in southern England and Scotland.

"They're going to have to gain seats in the north of England and the Midlands from Labour if they're going to win a big majority at this election," he said.

But the Conservatives' challenge is complicated by the insurgent Brexit Party, led by veteran eurosceptic Nigel Farage.

Farage rejects Johnson's deal with the EU because it would keep the UK bound to the bloc's rules until the end of 2020, and possibly longer.

He'd rather leave the EU without an agreement, which would free Britain to strike new trade deals around the world.

It would also, according to most economists, leave the country poorer, by imposing barriers to business with the EU, Britain's biggest trading partner.

Supporters of a "hard Brexit" like Farage dismiss such claims, and accuse both Conservatives and Labour of watering down and delaying Brexit.

Hartlepool, where the Brexit Party controls the town council, is the party's top target in the election.

Richard Tice, the Brexit Party chairman and its candidate for Hartlepool hopes to win over former Labour voters who support Brexit.

"I am telling voters in Hartlepool they have been let down and betrayed by the Labour Party - that is betraying them on Brexit and has had a MP in this constituency for over 60 years and actually they have let down the voters here. I am going to pledge I am going to get a proper Brexit done. I am going to bring money and jobs into Hartlepool."

Mike Hill, who has been Hartlepool's Labour lawmaker since 2017 and is running for re-election, says he's not worried.  

Labour's complex stance on Brexit – it wants to renegotiate the divorce deal, then hold a new referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain – has angered some supporters.

But the party hopes its focus on social issues such as crime, health care and welfare – all affected by a decade of Conservative public-spending cuts – matters more to voters than Brexit.

He predicted locals might not warm to Tice, a wealthy property developer from the south of England.

"The Brexit Party seem to think they can come here with some southern billionaire candidate and just waltz into the place. Well, the people of Hartlepool are not fools," Hill said. "They can see right through that."

Hartlepool, United Kingdom - 11 November 2019

1. Various of colourful houses on the Hartlepool shoreline

2. Various of lighthouse

3. Close up of Hartlepool Borough Council sign

4. Various of fishermen offloading crabs from a fishing trawler

5. Fisherman Steve Horsley working on a fishing net

6. Horsley and fisherman Robert Corner working on a fishing net

7. Corner holding fishing net

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Corner, fisherman:

"My father, my mother, everybody voted Labour (UK opposition party). Now I voted UKIP (UK Independence Party) for the last...twice (last two elections) and I am voting Conservative (UK ruling party) for the first time in my life this vote. I hope Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) fetches us out of this friggen EU."

8. Tilt up of Horsley working on a fishing net

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Horsley, fisherman:

"Well (Brexit Party leader, Nigel) Farage started it off and the he walked away from it didn't he? You know I mean what was that about? And (Labour Party leader, Jeremy) Corbyn he has nothing at all for the likes of us people I don't think. Nothing at all."

10. Wide of Hartlepool Working Mans Club

11. Close of Hartlepool Working Mans Club sign

Hartlepool, United Kingdom - 10 November 2019

12. Various of people in Hartlepool Working Mans Club

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Diana Jordan, hypnotherapist:

"I have always been classed as a Labour voter because my parents were always Labour, my grandparents were always Labour, Hartlepool has always been Labour and now I am not going to go Labour."

14. Various of lorry driver Clive Jordan at Hartlepool Working Mans Club

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Clive Jordan, lorry driver:

"I voted Labour all my life, but because of the way certain people are in Labour I have gone off of them now. I am not voting Labour no more. They've literally just blew it with me now."

London - 12 November 2019

16. Various of Tom O'Grady, lecturer in quantitative political science at UCL (University College London)

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom O'Grady, lecturer in quantitative political science at UCL:

"Seats like Hartlepool are seats where, if the Conservatives are going to win a big majority, they have to win seats like that. Hartlepool, about the 110th seat on the Conservatives' list of gains, but because the Conservatives are going to probably lose seats in Scotland to the Scottish National Party and lose seats in the south of England to the Liberal Democrats, they're going to have to gain seats in the north of England and the Midlands from Labour if they're going to win a big majority at this election."

Hartlepool, United Kingdom - 11 November 2019

18. Various of a decommissioned oil rig at Hartlepool ship recycling facility

19. Wide of Brexit Party banner in Hartlepool town centre

20. Richard Tice, Brexit Party chairman and candidate for Hartlepool, talking to media

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Tice, Brexit Party candidate for Hartlepool:

"I am telling voters in Hartlepool they have been let down and betrayed by the Labour Party - that is betraying them on Brexit and has had a MP in this constituency for over 60 years and actually they have let down the voters here. I am going to pledge I am going to get a proper Brexit done. I am going to bring money and jobs into Hartlepool."

22. Wide of Labour Party campaigners including Hartlepool MP Mike Hill (red jacket) meeting in a parking lot

23. Close of Labour Party rosette on Hill's jacket

24. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Hill, Labour Party MP in Hartlepool:

"The Brexit Party seem to think they come here with some southern billionaire candidate (Tice) and just waltz in the place. Well, the people of Hartlepool are not fools. They can see right through that and they'll consider somebody thinking that they can parachute into this constituency as bit of an insult to be absolutely honest, because the town deserves better."

25. Various of Hill handing out Labour Party pamphlets

26. Close of Labour Party pamphlet comparing the Conservatives and Brexit Party with Labour

The National Wallace Monument in Stirling was built over a century ago to pay homage to one Scotland's most famous freedom fighters, Sir William Wallace.

The monument overlooks the site where Wallace led his men in the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge, which the Scottish side won.

For many Scots who would want to see their country independent from the United Kingdom, Wallace is a symbol of their yearning for self-determination.

The National Wallace Monument is a politically neutral charity that takes no stance on Scottish independence.

Edinburgh-based actor Gilchrist Muir says he's always felt Scottish rather than British and has long viewed the U.K.'s Union Jack flag as "a symbol of oppression."

For one of his more regular acting jobs, Muir dresses up in chain mail and leather as Sir William Wallace, recounting to tourists how the 13th century Scottish independence hero defeated English invaders in the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge. Wallace was later executed in London in 1305 - hanged, disemboweled and beheaded as a traitor to England's King Edward I.

Mel Gibson played Wallace in the 1995 movie "Braveheart." Posing for tourists' photos with his long sword, Muir borrows Gibson's signature cry from the film, howling: "Freedom!"

But out of costume, chatting in an Edinburgh pub over a beer, he's deeply pessimistic about any shift in Westminster's stance.

"It's like I'm a passenger in a car that's out of control, and the driver's left, and you have no say over where the car's going. That's what it feels like right now. The Parliament has been hijacked. We have no say. Scotland has no voice," he says.

In 2014, Scots had a chance to go it alone.

Voters took part in a referendum in which they were asked: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

They cast their ballot, having been told their votes might be the most important they'd ever cast, as the choice wouldn't be offered again for at least a generation.

So when the ballot-count delivered a clear 55-45 split against independence, that seemed to settle it: Scotland would, for the foreseeable future, remain with England, Wales and Northern Ireland in a United Kingdom governed from London.

But less than two years later came another epoch-shaping and even more earth-shaking referendum, the Brexit poll.

While the UK voted to leave the European Union, Scots distinguished themselves as the biggest dissenters.

Not only did Scotland vote overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, it was the only one of the UK's four parts where not a single constituency delivered a "Yes" vote to leave.

Simply put: Scotland is being dragged largely unwillingly toward a messy divorce, scheduled to take place on 31 October, quite possibly without an agreement to cushion expected blows to businesses and households.

Disgruntlement with Brexit and machinations in Westminster that have pushed the UK ever closer to a No Deal departure is so keenly felt in Scotland that independence is back as an issue.

Many who voted no to independence are now apparently changing their minds.

Chris Deerin, director of the Reform Scotland think-tank, was a firm "No" in 2014, describing the idea of a breakup of the union with Britain as "utterly bizarre" and "almost unthinkable" in his political commentaries at the time.

As Brexit looms, Deerin's tune is changing.

"If Scotland is independent in 2025, 2030, I think Brexit will pretty obviously be the main reason for that. ... It has set Scotland against England."

Scottish flags, with a white cross on a blue background, hang inside and outside the distillery where Dale McQueen brews gin.

Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, who champions calls for a second independence referendum by 2021, opened his new factory this year in Callander, with spectacular views of surrounding crags.

McQueen says he hopes to be able to plow profits from his fast-growing business into a second referendum campaign.

"Scotland didn't vote for Brexit and so, against the will of the Scottish people, we are being forced out of Europe," he said, adding "I'm certainly of the opinion that Scotland could be a much more prosperous country living on its own economy, making its own rules."

Rather than be shackled to what they suspect could become a diminished and isolated post-Brexit UK, advocates of independence are clamouring for another referendum to allow Scotland to strike out on its own, and perhaps even re-join the EU at some point.

But Scots wanting a second shot at independence won't automatically get one.

The UK government has repeatedly ruled out the possibility, saying Scots had their say and that a second vote could heap further division on the country already riven by generational, regional, political and economic divides over Brexit.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardball negotiating tactics since he took office in July, replacing Theresa May after she failed to get Parliament's backing for her Brexit deal with the EU, suggest to some Scots that he's especially unlikely to yield.

Johnson has taken steps to suspend Parliament for part of the remaining weeks before the Oct. 31 departure, shrinking options and time for lawmakers who want to stop a chaotic no-deal departure. Johnson's critics have likened him to a dictator and his maneuverings to a coup.

"Are you a democrat or not? Do you respect the will of the Scottish people or not" said Ian Blackford, a lawmaker with the pro-EU Scottish National Party, addressing Johnson as the U.K. Parliament reconvened Tuesday in London.

"The Scottish people did not vote for Brexit. The people of Scotland did not vote for a no-deal Brexit. They did not vote for the Tory party and they certainly did not vote for this prime minister," Blackford added during the raucous debate.

Britain's Parliament will attempt to defy Johnson's Brexit plans on Wednesday as lawmakers seek a way out of the impasse that has gripped the nation since the 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

The House of Commons is confronting Johnson over his insistence that the U.K. leave the EU on Oct. 31 even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow. On Wednesday, it will consider a measure that will try to block a departure without a deal, amid cries from lawmakers that a no-deal Brexit will cause irreparable harm.

Stirling - 1 September 2019

1. Various of Wallace Monument in Stirling:

2. Actors in front of monument re-enacting events around the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which was led by William Wallace

3. Visitors watching

4. Gilchrist Muir, acting as William Wallace, UPSOUND (English) "I did not come here to talk or be bought. I came here to win back my country's freedom for its people."

5. Wide of actors and visitors

Edinburgh - 1 September 2019

6. Actor Gilchrist Muir sitting at Maggie Dickson's pub in town centre

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilchrist Muir, actor:

(++The National Wallace Monument is a politically neutral charity that takes no stance on Scottish independence - Muir's views do not represent the charity's views++)

"I feel like I'm, it's like I am a passenger in a car that's out of control and the driver's left and you are just, you have no say over where the car is going. So, that is what it feels like right now. The parliament has been hijacked. We have no say. Scotland has no voice; it hasn't had for quite some time."

Stirling - 1 September 2019

8. Wide of old Stirling Bridge over which the Battle of Stirling was fought, with Wallace Monument in the background

9. Various of plaque commemorating Battle of Stirling

10. Wide tilt down to Chris Deerin standing on Forthside Footbridge

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Deerin, journalist, political commentator and director of the Reform Scotland think tank:

"If Scotland is independent in 2025 or 2030, I think Brexit will pretty obviously be the main reason for that. It will give momentum to the cause, it has exposed all sorts of problems with the union, it has set Scotland against England and Westminster seems very distant from Scotland at the moment."

12. Wide of old Stirling Bridge over which the Battle of Stirling was fought, with Wallace Monument in the background

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Deerin, journalist, political commentator and director of the Reform Scotland think tank:

"You know, my case (at time of first independence referendum) was very much that the role of Britain in the world was an important one. And I think by taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom, what is left is inevitably diminished, both geographically, economically, perhaps morally a bit as well. And it didn't seem like a good time for that to happen, but since then, Britain has decided to leave the EU, Donald Trump has gone into power in America, we have all sorts of things happening on the European continent - populists on the rise - and I think it just sort of... everything is changing. And I think we should all be looking at some of the received wisdom and perhaps some of our own accepted viewpoints and just asking whether those are still the right views to have. As an individual, I am certainly more open-minded to the idea of an independent Scotland than I was before."

Callander - 1 September 2019

14 Various of exterior of McQueen Gin Distillery

15. Various Dale McQueen, owner of distillery, pouring a sample of gin, drinking

16. Wide of the Saltire, Scotland's flag, on wall at distillery

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Dale McQueen, owner McQueen Gin Distillery:

"Scotland didn't vote for Brexit and so, against the will of the Scottish people, we are being forced out of Europe. So we are being seen in action not to have any democratic voice. So we are voting for something that we are not getting."

18. Photograph against distillery shop wall of McQueen and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon at opening of distillery

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Dale McQueen, owner McQueen Gin Distillery:

"I'm certainly of the opinion that Scotland could be a much more prosperous country living on its own economy, making its own rules."

Glasgow - 31 August 2019

20. Various of "Stop the Coup" protest in George Square, held in response to prorogue of parliament

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Jonathan Pew, railway industry worker:

"It (the suspension of parliament) has made me much more open to the idea of Scottish independence than I would have been, had we not been in the situation where the Westminster government was being closed down with an apparent desire to effectively force through a No Deal Brexit."

Edinburgh - 3 September 2019

22. Various of people walking in town centre

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Pauline (Surname not given) vox pop:

"I think it is just the general mood in this country. I think there is a recognition that as part of the UK, Scotland doesn't matter and our opinion doesn't matter, what we vote for doesn't matter. We are not an equal in the union, whereas we would be within the EU - our voice would matter."

24. St Giles Cathedral

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Ishbel MacDonald, vox pop:

"I mean I do believe in the UK as a union, but I think the way things are, I might have to vote to leave the union, because I can't really accept the government we have in Westminster. The whole system is broken, it is anti-democratic - I don't really want to be part of it."

26. Scottish flag

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Honor Flynn, vox pop:

"It (the suspension of parliament) has actually made it stronger for me for independence. It has definitely made it stronger and a lot of my friends actually voted 'no' and now everyone of them is going to be a 'yes' voter if it (second Scottish referendum) happens again."

28. Pan of Edinburgh town centre

29. Various of Scottish and Union flags waving in the wind

Both EU and Brexit supporters gathered in front to of the UK Parliament on Tuesday to have their voice heard.

Alan Wager, Research Associate for UK in a Changing Europe, told The Associated Press that the Brexit uncertainty and an increased chance of a no-deal are the two factors that most effect the price of sterling and lower the price of sterling.

In early trading, London's FTSE 100 was off 3 points at 7,258 as the pound fell to its lowest level since 1985, excluding a brief crash it suffered in 2016.

A consultant neurologist David Nicholl criticised that a no-deal Brexit is the biggest risk to the health service in its existence.

London - 3 September 2019

1. People with flags and banners in front of UK Parliament

2. Various of EU supporters, UPSOUND (English): "Stop the coup"

3. Various of Brexit supporters with signs, UPSOUND (English): "Brexit, now"

4. Set up shot of Research Associate for UK in a Changing Europe, Alan Wager

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Research Associate for UK in a Changing Europe:

"Across the House of Commons there are MPs from all parties, there's a big majority against a no-deal Brexit. But the government, (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson, is strongly in favour come what may of leaving the European Union on the 31st October. So the only route open to these MPs is to create legislation, to create laws, to make Boris Johnson go and seek an extension. That's why you get a group of 15 or so Conservative MPs and with all the other opposition parties in the House of Commons to try and create a majority to ensure that Boris Johnson is boxed into a corner and has to try and get an extension to try and stop a no-deal Brexit. So that's the big prize for these MPs all against a no-deal Brexit who want to thwart Boris Johnson."

6. Cutaway

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Research Associate for UK in a Changing Europe:

"So the key option for Boris Johnson to try and stop himself from having to seek this extension is to call a general election. But unfortunately that's not in the gift of Boris Johnson - that's in the gift of the Labour Party. And the Labour Party and the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats and the SNP want guarantees that there will not be an election after the 31st October and they argue that Boris Johnson isn't going to honour that guarantee. So that means the big get out of jail free card - the general election - that he hopes to call isn't as easy as it seems for Boris Johnson. So actually all the options available to Boris Johnson are narrowing. He's finding himself boxed in here by the Labour Party and by these Conservative rebels."

8. Cutaway

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Research Associate for UK in a Changing Europe:

"The two factors that most effect the price of sterling and lower the price of sterling is Brexit uncertainty and an increased chance of a no-deal Brexit. And what we are seeing is massive uncertainty but also a government and an executive that is really clear that they want a no-deal Brexit. And both of those things combined are what is causing so much damage and uncertainty to sterling at the moment."

10 . Set up shot of consultant neurologist, David Nicholl:

11. SOUNDBITE (English) David Nicholl, consultant neurologist:

"So I asked him (referring to Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg) one question, which was, if you support a no-deal Brexit what do you think the mortality rate is going to be? And that is the question that needs to be asking. All this 'there's a few bumps in the road,' we need to know what the bumps are how many there are, how big they are. How we can mitigate them and frankly how many people are going to be harmed by them and these bumps are real patients who are at risk. This is just insane because we are a nation at peace yet we are needing to think about almost military levels of contingency planning. It's bonkers."

12. Cutaway of EU supporters with sign, reading (English) "Put country before party. Stop no-deal"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) David Nicholl, consultant neurologist:

"I honestly think a no-deal Brexit is the biggest risk to the health service in its existence. We're talking about drugs, but then there is staffing - 14 per cent of my specialty, neurology, is from the European Union. I've been advertising a job for the last six months we haven't had any applicants from the UK or indeed the EU at all. So that means patients are waiting longer. The research, the impact on the research, EU grants that normally...I mean Britain is a world leader in research, but now people aren't being able to apply for EU grants because who wants - they kind of want to the UK to know what the hell they are doing."

14. Cutaway

15. SOUNDBITE (English) David Nicholl, consultant neurologist:

"And the absolutely jaw dropping bit of the whole Sunday Times story this week is that the Royal College of physicians have not been approached for an update of "Yellowhammer" (the contingency planning for no deal) since March. So literally my own government over here is winging it. I just can't believe this. This is one of the greatest countries in the world and they are winging it on their pharmaceutical policy for... it's just beggars belief."

16. Man dressed in an Eton uniform with Johnson's head on, denoting a fake bomb in front of parliament

Protests escalated outside Britain's Houses of Parliament on January 29th 2019, as politicians started voting on proposed amendments on a deal to leave the European Union, hoping to end a long stalemate.

Dozens of protesters from both "leave" and "remain" camps exchanged chants and dialogue outside parliament.

Commons speaker John Bercow selected seven amendments to be voted on January 29th, including replacing the so-called Irish "backstop," to prevent a hard border and extending the Brexit negotiation period.

The UK is due to leave the European Union on March 29th.

Prime Minister Theresa May urged British lawmakers January 29th to send the EU an "emphatic message" that they would not accept an Irish border guarantee in the withdrawal deal.

EU leaders have ruled out any renegotiation of the Brexit deal.

Labour Party lawmaker Yvette Cooper, who is behind one of the moves to rule out a no-deal Brexit, accused the government of squandering valuable time.

***

British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed that she will deliver the UK departure from the European Union on time following another session of talks with EU leaders.

Despite fundamental differences over whether the draft withdrawal agreement May negotiated with the EU should be changed to address strong objections by British lawmakers, May pledged to achieve an orderly withdrawal by the March 29th deadline.

May said February 7th in Brussels: "It is not going to be easy."

"I'll be negotiating hard in the coming days to do just that," she said. "I am clear that I am going to deliver Brexit. I am going to deliver it on time."

She was speaking after what she called "robust" but "constructive" talks with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and said they have agreed to hold more negotiations that could push the sealing of any deal to within a month of Britain's scheduled departure.

The two leaders agreed to meet for more talks "before the end of February to take stock of these discussions," a joint statement said.

Two years ago, May set Brexit day as March 29th and originally plans were to have a deal in place six months ahead of time.

May also referred to comments by European Council President Donald Tusk, who exacerbated the frosty climate on February 6th by wondering aloud what "special place in hell" might be reserved for those who backed Brexit with no idea of how to deliver it.

"I've raised with President Tusk the language that he used yesterday which was not helpful and caused widespread dismay in the United Kingdom," she said.

"The point I made to him is that we should both be working to ensure that we can deliver a close relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union in the future. And that's what he should be focusing on."

***

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on March 13th the impasse in Brexit negotiations can "only be solved in the UK".

Barnier spoke to reporters in Strasbourg as he arrived for a meeting of the European Parliament's Brexit steering committee.

UK Members of Parliament on March 12th rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's revised Brexit deal 391-242.

The stinging 149-vote defeat stripped away May's control over the course of Brexit and handed it to the UK Parliament, which is divided about what to do next.

The EU, which had warned there would be no more changes or negotiations if Parliament threw out the deal, expressed exasperation at yet another Brexit crisis.

In a statement, the European Commission said the member states "have done all that is possible to reach an agreement".

***

Up to one million people marched through London on March 23rd to demand a second referendum on Britain's departure from the European Union.

The "People's Vote March" snaked from Park Lane and other locations to converge on the UK Parliament, where the fate of Brexit will be decided in the coming weeks.

Marchers carried European Union flags and signs praising the longstanding ties between Britain and continental Europe.

The protest drew people from across Britain who are determined to force Prime Minister Theresa May's government to alter its march toward Brexit.

***

A pro Brexit march that started in Sunderland in the north of England arrived in London on March 29th.

The marchers who have walked most of the way were joined by hundreds of other supporters as they walked along the Thames from near Putney to Westminster where they will join other anti EU demonstrators.

The march was organized by the pro-Brexit "Leave Means Leave" campaign.

01:08:11

00:00:00

Angry scenes as rival Brexit groups protest

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London - 29 January 2019

1. Mid of Yellow Vest protesters chanting (English) "What do we want? Brexit. When do we want it? Now."

2. Mid of a leave protester calling a remain protestor's argument, "Scaremongering."

00:09:20

May: 'Robust' but 'constructive' talks with EU

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Brussels - 7 February 2019

3. British Prime Minister arriving to speak to journalists

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, UK Prime Minister:

"Well, I've had a good series of meetings today. We've had robust discussions but they've been constructive.

00:14:20

Barnier: Impasse can only be solved in the UK

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Strasbourg - 13 March 2019

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Michel Barnier, EU Brexit negotiator:

"Again, the House of Commons says what it doesn't want, now this impasse can only be solved in the UK."

00:24:19

Thousands march through for right to vote on Brexit deal

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London - 23 March 2019

6. Placard showing picture of UK prime minister Theresa May bearing slogan (English) "She doesn't speak for me"

7. Placard with picture of US President Donald Trump with slogan (English) "I love Brexit"

8. Giant mask of Theresa May

9. Various of protesters with banners

00:55:18

Pro Brexit marchers reach London

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London - 29 March 2019

10. Various of pro Brexit march

11. Various of marchers

Like its American namesake, the English town of Boston has a reputation for rebellion.

Three years ago, almost 76% of voters in this eastern England town opted, against the government's advice, to leave the European Union, the highest pro-Brexit vote in the UK.

With Britain's departure delayed and politicians deadlocked, Bostonians now feel frustration, fatigue and even fury. And they warn Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he will be out of a job if he breaks his vow that Britain will leave the EU on October 31, come what may.

"It's just a shambles," retired truck driver Mick Phoenix said. "It's disgusting and, to be frank, verging on treason. They're going against the will of the people."

Julia Barber, shopping at the town's open-air market, is also frustrated with lawmakers who voted last week to block Johnson's bid to leave the EU without a deal, and rejected the prime minister's call for a snap election.

"The whole country's in limbo," she said.

Britain as a whole is split down the middle over Brexit. But support for leaving the EU - and ending European citizens' automatic right to settle in the UK - remains strong in Boston, where rapid change from immigration has fueled resentment toward the 28-nation bloc.

Since the EU expanded eastwards in 2004, the historic market town has been transformed by thousands of immigrants from Poland, Lithuania and other ex-Communist countries who came to pick cauliflowers, broccoli and potatoes in the fertile fields around Boston or work in the region's food factories.

The population of Boston, 120 miles (200 kilometres) north of London, has grown by a fifth since 2001, to about 68,000. The sturdy little town that provided some of America's first Puritan settlers has become a collage of cultures. Traders sell local produce at an open-air market in the shadow of a medieval church, around the corner from a street of Eastern European supermarkets, travel agents and information centres.

Some long-term residents feel unsettled by the change. Unemployment in Boston is below the national average, but so are wages, and some locals blame the ready supply of migrant labour for keeping salaries low. Population growth - and years of public-spending cuts by the Conservative-led British government - have stretched schools, hospitals and housing. It's common to hear long-settled residents accuse the newcomers of drunkenness and bad behaviour.

Nigel Welton, the Conservative deputy leader of the town council, thinks immigration has been good for Boston, and says migrants have sometimes been scapegoated for local problems. But he says "when local people can't get jobs, when local people can't get to see their doctor, when local people can't get proper housing, and it's because of the amount of immigration without the services, then that's going to upset the local community."

The concerns are shared by Anton Dani, Boston's first-ever immigrant mayor. Dani, who became civic leader in May, was born in Morocco, raised in France, and runs Cafe de Paris, a Gallic corner of Boston complete with pictures of the late French singer Charles Aznavour on the walls.

Not all "Leave" supporters in Boston are motivated by immigration. Simon Brigden, who is married to a Polish woman, said he doesn't like the bureaucratic EU, but thinks European citizens are an asset.

Some Brexit supporters acknowledge that leaving the EU won't solve all of Boston's problems. It may even make them worse. Farmers' groups say it is already getting harder to attract European workers, and the agriculture sector will face labour shortages if migration falls.

As it stands, Britain is set to crash out of the EU on October 31 without a divorce deal to cushion the economic shock. Most economists say a no-deal Brexit will disrupt trade between Britain and the bloc and plunge the UK into recession. The pound, which has lost more than 15% of its value since the 2016 referendum, is likely to fall further. Food prices are set to rise and medicines could run short.

Many Brexit supporters believe the long-term benefits of an independent trade policy will outweigh any short-term pain. And some simply don't care about the economic cost.

Boston's febrile Brexit atmosphere leaves Matt Warman, the area's member of Parliament, with a balancing act. The Conservative lawmaker spends a lot of time reassuring European constituents that Britain wants them to stay after Brexit, but also understands concerns about the rapid changes immigration has brought to the town.

He voted for former Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal - which was rejected three times by Parliament - but now agrees with Johnson that a no-deal Brexit would be better than remaining a member of the EU.

"What I hear from constituents is 'get on with it,'" Warman said. "We want a deal, obviously, but if it has to be no deal then the only way to respect the referendum result becomes a no deal."

The jobs of both Warman and his prime minister depend on delivering Brexit soon. With Parliament and the government deadlocked, Britain is almost certain to face a snap election within months.

Pro-EU voters are already flocking to opposition parties, and if Johnson doesn't deliver on his promise to leave the EU on October 31 "do or die," the Conservatives could lose towns like Boston to the single-issue Brexit Party, led by veteran euroskeptic politician Nigel Farage.

"Saturday the 31st of October, the prime minister has said 'Do or die.' That's what people believe. They're fully behind him," Welton said. "And if he doesn't deliver it, then people are going to be extremely upset in this town."

Boston - 8 September 2019

1. St Botolph's Church through bridge railing

2. Wide of church

Boston - 7 September 2019

3. Various of Boston's Saturday outdoor market

4. Mick Phoenix, a retired truck driver and supporter of Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, walking through main square of market

5. Close-up Brexit Party button on Phoenix's fleece

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mick Phoenix, Retired Truck Driver, Brexit Party supporter:

"It's just a shambles. It's disgusting and, to be frank, verging on treason. (Reporter: How so?) They're going against the will of the people."

7. Retiree and Leave supporter Julia Barber walking through the market

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Julia Barber, Retiree and Leave supporter:

"I would be happy for him (Prime Minister Boris Johnson) to carry on a bit further but I just get so angry about everything that's put in someone's way, whether it be Theresa May or now Boris Johnson. The stuff that's put in their way to stop it because people don't like the result, and that's what a lot of it boils down to is they didn't like the result of the referendum and they're just constantly kicking off about it."

9. Cutaway customers at the fruit and vegetable stall

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Julia Barber, Retiree and Leave supporter:

"Everybody's in limbo. The whole country's in limbo. All our businesses are in limbo Nobody knows what's going to happen."

11. Nigel Welton, the Conservative deputy leader of the Boston town council crossing street in front of municipal office

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Welton, Conservative Deputy Leader Town Council:

"It's all about capacity. If the infrastructure in this town had kept pace with the level of immigration we would be a very big town that would be managing well. But when local people can't get jobs, when local people can't get to see their doctor, when local people can't get proper housing, and it's because of the amount of immigration without the services, then that's going to upset the local community."

Boston - 8 September 2019

13. High street shop selling products from Eastern Europe

14. Close-up sign for Lithuanian and Romanian products

15. Wide Kubus European Food Store

16. Close-up European Food Store printed on awning

Boston - 7 September 2019

17. Café De Paris door with owner and town Mayor Anton Dani working inside

18. Various of Dani making a café au lait

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Dani, Boston Mayor:

"There was more people coming in. We didn't increase our number of surgeries. We don't have enough places in the hospitals, we don't have enough places in schools, so all of this has created that kind of conflict between the locals and the newcomers."

Boston - 8 September 2019

20. Balcony shot of Sunday Mass with Polish community of Boston inside Parish of St Mary

21. Close-up woman and child arm in arm attending service

22. Wide of Mass with priest kneeling

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Father Stanislaw Kowalski, Polish Priest to Boston's Polish Community:

"I lived many years in a communist country. The Brexit for me is not a big issue."

24. Congregation leaves St Mary's church after Mass service in Polish, among them, Simon Brigden, British, married to a Polish woman

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Simon Brigden, Contractor and Leave supporter:

"I don't think people voted out purely because of the immigration. People voted out because they didn't want to be ruled by Europe. They didn't want the power to be in Brussels making decisions in this country, what everyone was doing in this country. I didn't vote because of the immigration. All the people that work for me are all from... Lithuanian people, Polish people, so I don't want to get rid of them. I like the foreign people."

26. Adam Altynski, a Polish parcel delivery driver eating lunch at Swojskie Jadlo, Polish family style restaurant in Boston

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Adam Altynski, Polish parcel delivery driver, living in UK for 14 years:

"When people were voting they weren't aware of what they were doing exactly, because it's going to affect them now that choice which they made and it's going to be harder times. The economy will be in a much more difficult situation like (than) before Brexit, I believe."

Boston - 7 September 2019

28. Wide of outdoor market

29. Cutaway British motif on the wall inside Café de Paris

30. SOUNDBITE (English) Matt Warman, Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness:

"What I hear from constituents is 'get on with it.' We want a deal, obviously, but if it has to be no deal then the only way to respect the referendum result becomes a no deal."

31. Borough of Boston written under the archway of municipal building

32. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Welton, Conservative Deputy Leader Town Council:

"We've set a date, 31st of October, and the prime minister has said do or die. That's what people have believed. They're fully behind him and if he doesn't deliver it then people are going to be extremely upset in this town."

33. Wide pan to another Boston landmark, the Maud Foster Mill

Reactions were mixed among leave and remain protesters after Britain's Parliament voted Thursday to seek a delay of the country's departure from the European Union - a move that will likely avert a chaotic withdrawal on the scheduled exit date of March 29.

Hundreds of protesters were seen demonstrating outside London's Parliament on Thursday, with pro-Brexit supporters carrying placards reading "Leave means leave" and anti-Brexit campaigners holding up EU flags.

Remain supporter Val Astles told the Associated Press that delaying the EU departure was "good news," adding "we needed a delay."  

Another anti-Brexit supporter, Peter Beagan, said he thinks the UK needs a much longer extension, stressing that he did not think Prime Minister Theresa May's deal would ever be approved in Parliament.

Members of the UK Indpendence Party, UKIP, were present to voice their opposition against a delayed departure.

Before the vote took place, UKIP leader Gerrard Batten said, "if Parliament now votes to ask for an extension to Article 50, then that will be the basic betrayal of the referendum and the British people who voted to leave."

He added, "What they (the governemnt) will do is they will ask for an extension to Article 50 on the basis that this can be extended indefinitely so eventually the whole referendum can be overturned."

Footage from after Thursday's vote showed one UKIP member swearing at remain campaigners, and police at the scene working to maintain calm.

With Brexit due in 15 days and no divorce deal yet approved, the House of Commons voted 413-202 to ask the bloc to put off Britain's exit until at least June 30.

The official result was initially announced as 412-202, but was later amended to 413 in the official voting list.

Power to approve or reject the extension lies with the EU, which has signaled that it will only allow a delay if Britain either approves a divorce deal or makes a fundamental shift in its approach to Brexit.

++CLIENTS NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS EXPLETIVES - PLEASE CHECK AGAINST THE STANDARDS OF YOUR ORGANISATION ++

London - 14 March 2019

1. Tilt down of UK Parliament building and protesters

2. UKIP supporters demonstrating

3. UKIP supporter with umbrella

4. Close of umbrella

5. Close of man wearing cap with text reading (English) "Make Britain Great Again"

6. Various of UKIP leader Gerrard Batten

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerrard Batten, leader of UKIP (commenting before Thursday's Parliament vote on a potential delayed Brexit departure):

"I was quite surprised that the margin was so narrow last night (referring to Parliament vote on whether to reject no-deal Brexit, taking place on Wednesday) - only four votes. If Parliament now votes to ask for an extension to Article 50, then that will be the basic betrayal of the referendum and the British people who voted to leave."

8. Various of UKIP placards

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerrard Batten, leader of UKIP: (commenting before Thursday's Parliament vote on a potential delayed Brexit departure):

"What they (the UK government) will do is they will ask for an extension to Article 50 on the basis that this can be extended indefinitely so eventually the whole referendum can be overturned. And my task is to organise UKIP so that we turf those people out of Westminster and we get new MPs in, who actually are patriotic and believe in their own country."

++NIGHT SHOTS++

10. Protesters outside Parliament

11. Tension between leave and remain protesters ++CLIENTS NOTE: INCLUDES SWEARING DURING TENSION BETWEEN REMAIN AND LEAVE PROTESTERS++

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Niall McCrae, pro-Brexit protester:

"My view is that the 29th of June is problematic, as long as that, because that would mean we would have to be competing in the EU, the European Parliament elections. That's what I think. Because I was thinking the delay might be to the end of May but end of June is going to give the government a lot of problems."

13. EU and UKIP flags

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Niall McCrae, pro-Brexit protester:

"We're still left with arch-remainers threatening to stop Brexit altogether by, for example, saying that, demanding that we revoke Article 50."

15. Leave and remain protesters

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Val Astles, anti-Brexit protester:

"Yeah, that's good news (that MPs on Thursday voted by a majority to seek a delay to the EU departure); we needed a delay. It's just how we use it and also as well whether the EU lets us have the delay and how long it's for."

17. EU flag

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Beagan, anti-Brexit protester:

"I think we need a much longer extension than that to achieve anything really apart from endless goes at (UK Prime Minister) Theresa May's deal, that I don't think will ever pass, and if it did it would be please no one in this country. It would be a disaster."

19. Pro-Brexit protester chanting UPSOUND (English) "Shame on You" toward car leaving

20. Police clearing area

21. Police and protesters

On October 17th 2019 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Brussels for a two-day summit with EU leaders.

Speaking at a news conference, Johnson announced that the UK would be leaving on October 31.

But the deal would still need to be approved by Parliament. Johnson urged the government to be cooperative in approving the deal.

Johnson said he hopes, "to get this excellent deal over the line and to deliver Brexit without any more delay."

Even if the United Kingdom leaves by the of the month, both sides will have to negotiate a new trade agreement for years to come.

***

The European Union on October 28th agreed to delay Brexit until 31 January - just three days before Britain was due to become the first country ever to leave the 28-nation bloc.

Michel Barnier, the European Union's Brexit negotiator, said the decision to agree to a "flextension" was made after a "very short and efficient and constructive" meeting of diplomats in Brussels.

The decision was expected to be formalised through a written procedure, meaning a special summit of EU leaders won't likely be necessary to approve the move.

Two diplomats told The Associated Press the "flextension" means that the UK could leave even earlier than January 31st if the Brexit divorce deal that the EU and Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed upon is ratified before that date.

If that happens, the UK will leave the EU on the first day of the month following the ratification.

Speaking anonymously because details of the decision had yet to be made public, one diplomat added that the Brexit withdrawal agreement could not be renegotiated during the extension period.

It's the second time the deadline has been changed since British voters in 2016 referendum decided to leave the bloc.

***

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a second referendum on Scotland's independence from the UK.

Sturgeon, whose Scottish National Party is running on a pro-independence, anti-Brexit platform, made her comments at a rally in Glasgow on November 2nd.

She stressed it was "time for Scotland to be an independent country" and urged both the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to "stop running scared and come and justify why Scotland should not be independent."

Sturgeon told the pro-independence rally that a clear win for the SNP in the upcoming UK general election on December 12th will bring Scotland a step closer to independence, vowing to hold a second referendum vote in the country next year.

***

Brexit supporters have been celebrating after the UK Parliament on December 20th gave preliminary approval to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill.

The bill clears the way for the UK to leave the European Union at the end of January 2020.

The House of Commons voted 358-234 for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

The bill commits Britain to leaving the EU on January 31st and to concluding trade talks with the bloc by the end of 2020.

Trade experts and EU officials say striking a free trade deal within 11 months will be a struggle, but Johnson insists he won’t agree to any more delays.

The Brexit bill has been amended to bar ministers from agreeing to extend the transition period with the EU.

01:12:16

00:00:00

Johnson, Juncker on outline Brexit deal

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Brussels - 17 October 2019

1. Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister arriving for news conference

2. Johnson, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay posing for a photo

3. Johnson and Juncker shaking hands

00:11:08

Barnier 'happy' as EU grants Brexit 'flextension'

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Brussels - 28 October 2019

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Michel Barnier, European Union Brexit Negotiator:

"It was a very short and efficient and constructive meeting and I am happy that a decision has been taken."

00:22:01

Sturgeon urges 2nd Scottish independence vote

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2 November 2019 - Glasgow

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister:

"All of us must make sure that over these next few weeks we persuade everyone we know, our family, our friends, our neighbours, our workmates, to come out on December the 12th and send the biggest, loudest, most resounding message to Westminster that it is time for Scotland to choose our own future. It is time for Scotland to be an independent country."

00:50:03

Brexit bill passes but divisions remain

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London - 20 December 2019

6. Brexit supporters standing with placards and jumping for joy after the vote is passed

7. Various exteriors of parliament and people walking

8. Various exteriors of parliament

The European Parliament's chief Brexit official has welcomed a non-binding resolution adopted by EU lawmakers supporting another extension to the Brexit deadline.

European Parliament lawmakers on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favour of another Brexit delay if Britain requests one and certain conditions are met.

"It was for me and for everybody in the house very important that in the midst of this endgame of negotiations on Brexit, that there would be a clear position by the new elected parliament," said Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament Brexit Coordinator.

Lawmakers voted 544-126 with 38 abstentions in Strasbourg.

Despite claims from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the UK will leave on the scheduled Oct. 31 date with or without a withdrawal agreement, EU leaders are expected to discuss the possibility of another postponement at a two-day summit in Brussels next month if no progress toward a deal has been made by then.

EU lawmakers put conditions in the resolution, saying they would only support an extension if it was justified by a specific purpose such as "avoiding a no-deal departure, holding general elections or a referendum, revoking Article 50 (the procedure that triggered the Brexit process), or approving the (current) withdrawal agreement."

Strasbourg - 18 September 2019

1. European Parliament Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt arriving

2. Verhofstadt arriving for news conference

3. Cutaway of cameraman

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament Brexit Coordinator:

"I am very pleased that this first resolution of this new parliament, because it is the first time that the new parliament is expressing itself on Brexit. We got in total four other resolutions but that was in the other parliament. So it was for me and for everybody in the house very important that in the midst of this endgame of negotiations on Brexit, that there would be a clear position by the new elected parliament."

5. Cutaway of journalist

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament Brexit Coordinator:

"The way it goes is that based on a positive opinion by the Brexit Steering Group, plus the AFCO (Constitutional Affairs Committee) has to look through the file (and) have to give a positive assessment, and then it goes to the Plenary. The Plenary can be here (Strasbourg), the Plenary can be in Brussels, because as you know we have two seats (parliaments)."

7. Verhofstadt leaving

European Union nationals living in Britain weren't allowed to vote in the EU referendum three years ago, but they'll get their chance to pass judgment on Brexit next week when the UK takes part in elections for the European Parliament.

The result of next week's election won't directly affect Brexit. But it will be interpreted as a test of public sentiment - almost a mini-referendum - and could sway politicians to take a harder or softer course as Britain heads for the exit door.

That makes this the most high-profile European election in Britain in years - but it shouldn't be happening. The U.K. was due to have left the EU by now.

Instead, British politicians are deadlocked over departure terms and Brexit has been postponed from March 29 until Oct. 31 while they try to sort out the mess. So Britain is taking part, and the contest here is dominated by candidates promising either to speed up Brexit or throw it into reverse gear.

Pro-European parties are eager to attract votes from EU citizens, who can vote in European polls though not in U.K. national elections.

That's why a former finance minister of Poland could be found recently standing outside a suburban London subway station, thrusting anti-Brexit leaflets at tired commuters. Jan Vincent-Rostowski, a London-born economist who served in a center-right Polish government between 2007 and 2013, is a candidate for the newly former pro-EU party Change UK.

"I thought that was something I could bring to the campaign, being both a British citizen - a Londoner born and bred - but also a Polish citizen who has done his bit in politics elsewhere," Vincent-Rostowski said.

Chipper and polite - "Can I give you a leaflet madam?" - he got a reasonably warm reception in suburban Ealing, a diverse London district that voted 60% for remaining in the European Union. Several Poles recognized him, stopping to chat or film him on their phones.

Hedwig Hegtermans has lived in Britain for two decades, but she didn't have a vote when the country decided in 2016 to leave the European Union. She's determined to have her say on Brexit now.

An election for the European Parliament being held this month in all 28 EU member states - including the not-yet-departed U.K. - is giving Hegtermans - a Dutch citizen and member of The 3 Million, a lobby group for EU citizens in Britain - and other Europeans in Britain the chance to pass judgment on the Brexit decision that left their lives in limbo.

Like other non-U.K. EU nationals, she was not eligible to vote in Britain's EU membership referendum three years ago - and like them she saw her automatic right to live and work in Britain whipped away by the Brexit decision. (The British government says all 3 million EU citizens in Britain can stay, but they have to apply for "settled status" through a somewhat glitch-prone new registration process).

"We did not have a vote in the referendum, we could not voice anything while we were the people who will be affected the most," Hegtermans said.

She said the May 23 election to fill the U.K.'s 73 seats in the 751-seat EU legislature "is one way for us to let our voices (be) heard."

But this is a heated and bad-tempered election. Both of Britain's main parties - the governing Conservative and opposition Labour - are bracing for a hammering as voters frustrated by the Brexit impasse turn to parties promising either a definitive break with the EU or a chance to remain in the bloc.

Thousands of Brexiteers across the country are flocking to rallies for the new Brexit Party led by former U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, who accuses the government of betraying Brexit and wants Britain to walk away from the bloc even if there is no divorce deal to smooth the way.

Among pro-Europeans, Change UK is competing for votes with the centrist Liberal Democrats and environmentalist Greens. All support holding a new referendum that would include the option of remaining in the EU.

EU elections in Britain generally have a low turnout. At the last EU election in 2014, it was 35%.

EU citizens also must navigate a U.K. voter-registration process that requires them to fill out a form declaring that they do not plan to also vote in their home country.

The deadline for registration passed on May 7. It's likely some Europeans will show up at polling stations only to be turned away.

Others may stay away out of a common U.K. malaise: Brexhaustion.

Europeans in London expressed a mix of enthusiasm and resignation at the prospect of an election that - three years after the vote to leave the EU - is dominated by Brexit.

"As a Polish citizen, I would love Britain to stay in the European Union," said 32-year-old Kate Staron. "So definitely I will vote and try to make some difference. .. I encourage everyone else to go and vote as every vote is important."

Marcel Wojtyniak, a 25-year-old data analyst also from Poland, wasn't so sure.

"I think there's a lot of exhaustion on the subject," he said.

"I'm personally against it, I don't think there will be much benefit in it. I don't really get involved with that discussion that much any more because it feels like it is pretty much over."

London - 14 May, 2019

1. Jan Vincent-Rostowski, Change UK candidate for London and former Polish finance minister, handing out leaflets for the EU election UPSOUND (English):  

Vincent-Rostowski: "Vote Change UK."

Pedestrian: "I have one of these already."

Vincent-Rostowski: "That's okay. You've already got one? Oh, that's fine. Thank you very much. Can I give you a leaflet, madam, to vote stop Brexit and Vote Change UK? Thank you."

2. Another canvasser handing out leaflets

3. Various of Vincent-Rostowski handing out leaflets

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Vincent-Rostowski, Change UK candidate for London and former Polish finance minister:

"To stop Brexit, to stop Brexit because Brexit is an extremely bad idea. Since the referendum it's been proved to be an even worse idea than we knew it to be then. It's been redefined by the Brexiteers as something completely different from what people voted for or certainly completely different than a majority would have voted for, in other words it's been redefined as a no-deal Brexit. And of course on top of that the world has changed. Donald Trump has been elected, the idea of going out into a free trade global world, globalised world is something that just about might have made sense in June of 2016. it certainly doesn't make sense after the 7th November 2016."

5. Cutaway of Change UK sign

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Vincent-Rostowski, Change UK candidate for London and former Polish finance minister:

"We're definitely appealing to them (EU citizens living in the UK) and one of the reasons why I'm standing, I thought that was something I could bring to the campaign as being both a British citizen, a Londoner born and bred but also a Polish citizen who has done his bit in politics elsewhere."

7. Set up of Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London

8. Close up of poll

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London:

"Well, I think at this election we're going to see the two main parties' support bleed away to minor parties, if they can be called minor parties. The Brexit party will get a lot of Conservative voters, the Lib Dems look like they are going to pick up quite a lot of former Labour voters. Those two parties - the Brexit party and the Lib Dems - will probably be the big winners, and the Conservative party and Labour will be really having to look at themselves in the mirror and say 'what are we going to do about this?'."

10. Cutaway

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London:

"And I think obviously if European citizens mobilise sufficiently then that's going to be good for the Remain parties, particularly the Liberal Democrats."

12. People walking in street

13. Set up of Hedwig Hegtermans, member of The 3 Million, a lobby group for EU citizens in Britain

14. Cutaway of badges

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Hedwig Hegtermans, member of The 3 Million lobby group:

"So it may be the very last time that EU citizens can vote here.  And I also think a lot of EU citizens now opted to vote for a UK candidate. I myself as an example, I always voted for a Dutch candidate, but now I will be voting for a UK candidate."  

(Question: "Why did you make that decision?")

"I made that decision because I felt because of Brexit first of all we did not have a vote in the referendum, we could not voice anything, and we will be the people who will be affected the most, so this is one way for us to let our voices heard is by voting for a pro-EU country (means candidate) and a pro Remain (country)."

16. Various of people in street

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Kate Staron, embassy worker from Poland:  

"I'm concerned about my future and everybody else's future and I see Brexit as something bad. But again it is what it is and we need to hope for the best. So definitely I will vote and try to make some difference, at least by this, by voting, so I encourage everyone else to go and vote, as every vote is important."

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Marcel Wojtyniak, data analyst from Poland:  

"I'm personally against it, I don't think there will be much benefit in it. I don't really get involved with that discussion that much any more because it feels like it is pretty much over.  It's, as I said before, it feels like once in a while someone revives the whole subject, and says what if we cancel Brexit because of this or that. I don't really see that happening as the government stated several times that they are not interested in that happening or entertaining the idea, so I kind of treat it as a done deal and I try to move on."

19. Campaigner for Change UK handing out leaflets

Britain's Parliament voted Thursday to seek a delay of the country's departure from the European Union, a move that will likely avert a chaotic withdrawal on the scheduled exit date of March 29.

With Brexit due in 15 days and no divorce deal yet approved, the House of Commons voted to ask the bloc to postpone Britain's exit until at least June 30.

Power to approve or reject the extension lies with the EU, whose officials have said they will only allow a delay if Britain either approves a divorce deal or makes a fundamental shift in its approach to Brexit.

In a historic irony, almost three years after Britain voted to leave the EU, its future is now in the bloc's hands.

By law, Britain will leave the EU on March 29, with or without a deal, unless it cancels Brexit or secures a delay.

While the Parliament vote gives Prime Minister Theresa May some breathing space, it was still humbling for a leader who has spent two years telling Britons they were leaving the bloc on that date.

Lawmakers have twice rejected her EU divorce deal - and also ruled out leaving the EU without an agreement.

Withdrawing without a deal could mean major disruptions for businesses and people in the UK and the 27 remaining countries.

But there was some good news for May, as lawmakers rejected an attempt to strip her of control over Brexit.

They defeated by the narrowest of margins an opposition attempt to let Parliament choose an alternative to May's rejected divorce deal and force the government to negotiate it with the EU.

The House of Commons defeated the idea by just two votes, 314-312, leaving May least temporarily in charge of the Brexit agenda.

Lawmakers also voted to rule out the idea of holding a second Brexit referendum - at least for now.

By a decisive 334-85 vote, they defeated a motion that called for another vote by the public on whether to stay in the EU or leave.

Campaigners for a new referendum are divided over whether the time is right to push for a second Brexit vote.

The vote didn't prevent lawmakers from trying again later to get Parliament's support for another referendum.

Postponing Brexit gives May some respite, amid a crisis that has shredded her authority and obliterated her control of a fractious Conservative minority government.

On Wednesday, a dozen government ministers abstained rather than support May's bid to keep a no-deal Brexit as an option, while another voted against, and resigned.

Despite the rebuffs and the political chaos, May has signalled she will try a third time to get backing for her agreement next week.

She is seeking to win over opponents in her own party and its Northern Irish political ally, the Democratic Unionist Party.

Alan Wager, a researcher at the U.K. in a Changing Europe think tank, said May faced a struggle to overturn a 149-vote margin of defeat in Parliament this week.

"It's still really difficult to see how the numbers stack up for Theresa May, but she's giving it one more go", he said.

If the delay is approved next week, May hopes to use it to enact legislation needed for Britain's departure.

She has warned Brexit supporters who oppose her deal that if no withdrawal agreement is passed in the coming days, the only option will be to seek a long extension that could mean Brexit never happens.

London - 14 March 2019

++DUSK SHOTS++

1. Various of activists watching House of Commons Brexit vote on their mobile phones

2. Wide of man holding placard reading (English) "To Delay is to Betray"

3. Close of placard

++NIGHT SHOTS++

4. Wide exterior of UK Parliament

5. Wide set-up shot of political analyst Dr Alan Wager

6. Wide of media encampment on College Green across from Parliament

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"So what we now know for near-certain is that Britain won't be leaving on this day the 29th of March that everyone expected Britain to be leaving the European Union. There's going to be an extension to the process at least probably to the 30th of June. And that depends - how long the extension lasts will depend on whether MPs pass (Prime Minister) Theresa May's deal or reject it another time. So that's the big debate going on in the UK here."

8. Various of parliament

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"So MPs will be voting again on Theresa May's deal and it won't have changed at all. The whole (EU) Withdrawal Agreement, the whole future declaration will be exactly the same. The only difference will be time, MPs will now know what they can't do and what they can do. They'll know that the pressure is on. They have no other alternative but-  apart from a long extension to pass this deal. So the main problem Theresa May's had is a whole load of her MPs that were very pro-Brexit that said this version of Brexit wasn't hard enough, wasn't Brexit enough. They're now going to be faced with a very clear choice of her deal or a very very long extension and potentially Brexit being kicked into the long grass and that's the choice now facing a whole load of MPs in this place."

10. Close-up of Parliament

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"So, as a result of the votes tonight Theresa May will be very happy. It sets up a very clear choice for her. The other alternative tonight was for there to be an attempt by the legislature, the House of Commons to take control of Brexit, to take back control from the Executive. And that's not happened tonight by two votes, the legislature were unable to say let's try and vote on different options to Theresa May's deal, we don't like her deal but we might like something else. They haven't done that. The choices now remain is:  Theresa May's deal or big question mark."

12. Cutaway

13.SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"Well, tonight the idea of a second referendum was roundly rejected because MPs are so worried about the fact that, about trying to overturn this referendum result from 2016. And a lot of the people that are campaigning for a referendum said let's not do it now. They think that the only chance of getting a referendum is when all other options have gone off the table and have died, then MPs might reach for the second vote."

14. Onlookers outside parliament

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"Another element that Theresa May will be saying is if you don't pass my deal we're going to have to fight these European elections and a lot of MPs particularly in her Conservative party are worried about fighting these European elections because they're worried about one man, (UK politician and leading Brexiteer) Nigel Farage coming back into those European elections and cutting their vote in half. So, all those pro-Brexit people in the country would vote for a proper Brexit party if Brexit is delayed and that's the big issue for a lot of Conservative MPs is this fear of a pro-Brexit party coming and taking all their votes."

16. 'Vote UKIP' sign

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Alan Wager, political analyst at UK In a Changing Europe:

"If Theresa May's vote fails I think it is likely the European Union are going to suggest a pretty long extension. (European Council President) Donald Tusk has come out and said OK guys if you if you don't have a deal we're going to give you a long, long extension of Article 50 to sort this out so that's become clear in the last few days. The EU 27 would all have to agree and they are not all united. But because they're not united they'll take the lead from Donald Tusk who's saying a longer extension is the only way forward if Britain doesn't have a deal."

18. Various of  EU and UK flags

Brexit. It's coming, but no one really knows what form it will take.

Prime Minister Theresa May plans to fire the starting pistol this month, leading to at least two years of complex negotiations between Britain and 27 other European Union nations with competing interests.

The results will redefine Britain's role outside the EU, transform immigration and trade laws, and affect everything from intelligence sharing to the classification of bananas.

Brexit hasn't happened yet; the formal process is about to begin.

But the June 23 referendum in which Britons voted to leave the EU is already having an immense impact on peoples' lives.

Not because of what they know about Brexit, but because of what they don't.

Five people -- three in Britain, two in continental Europe -- tell how they are coping with the uncertainty:

THE GERMAN ACADEMIC WHO IS LEAVING BRITAIN

German-born Henning Meyer and his German wife have lived in London long enough to easily qualify for British nationality.

And it's likely the British government will eventually decide to allow EU nationals already living in Britain to stay even after the divorce, so they could probably live here even without British passports.

But the Meyers are leaving.

They are building a small home in Berlin and selling their place just north of London.

They no longer feel welcome here and they believe London's role as a vital international hub will soon shrivel.

Meyer says that if he's not allowed to live in the UK as German, he no longer wants to be in the UK.

They took six months to decide to abandon Britain -- a move shaped by the belief that something fundamental had been altered in the tolerant, multi-cultural society they had embraced.

"It's not just the immediate reaction after the referendum," he said.

"You know everybody knows what happened to -- not me personally -- but Polish citizens or others who have been subject to abuse or even worse. So what also changed is how the referendum campaign altered the public discourse in this country. Because it was a shameful campaign and it has made stereotyping xenophobia mainstream."

He said some friends no longer feel comfortable speaking German with their children on London streets, and others try to conceal their Polish or German identities.

Meyer doesn't want to live that way.

THE LATVIAN STUDENT RUSHING TO GET TO BRITAIN - BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Katrina Rubina's dream is almost in her grasp. She fears Brexit will snatch it away.

The 18-year-old high school student's cherished goal - call it an obsession - is to study in Britain, a country with a proud tradition of academic rigour that regularly turns out skilled graduates who can compete in Europe's tight job market.

"I've been dreaming about studying in the UK for a long time, since I was 6 years old, purely because of Harry Potter. And right now if because of the Brexit, the student loans are cut, there are no more opportunities for people (from the EU) who were depending on these loans. Thus, my chance would be blown," says Rubina.

Her fear is that Britain's exit from the EU will shortly make it much harder for students from other European countries to study in Britain.

She anticipates many road blocks: New visa rules, rather than the border free travel Latvians and other EU citizens now enjoy, a hike in tuition for non-British students and, most importantly, a sharp cut in scholarships for EU students.

That's made getting to Britain a now-or-never proposition.

She and many other Latvian hopefuls are flooding British universities with applications - academic officials note a marked increase since the referendum.

She has been provisionally accepted at the Royal Holloway in London to study international business, but needs an excellent showing on her final round of exams.

Her counsellor has told her she must study still harder - competition has increased because so many students are trying to get to Britain before the rules change.

"That's all I worked for - to study in the UK. And if I cannot - it was all for nothing," she says.

THIS MAN OF STEEL SEES BETTER DAYS AHEAD - AND HE'S HIRING

John Reid & Sons is looking to hire six people at its structural steel factory in southern England - and managing director Simon Boyd thinks the 98-year-old company's expansion is a Brexit blessing.

He has argued for years that membership in the EU was holding Britain back because of a welter of regulations.

The day Brexit comes into full force, he says, will be the day when Britain is liberated from unwanted workplace rules and the capricious dictates imposed by the European Court of Justice.

He knows that in a legal sense nothing has changed, that the implementation of Brexit is at least several years away, but thinks the business climate has dramatically improved now that the end of EU regulation (over-regulation in his view) is in sight.

The midsize firm he runs is already reaping benefits - the falling value of the British pound sterling since the Brexit vote has helped its exports - and the company's largest ever expansion project is being planned in consultation with local officials.

Boyd, who started his career making tea and sweeping floors, says orders and inquiries for major projects increased after the referendum vote and expects they will shoot still higher in the coming years.

"I think government is in an excellent position to negotiate a really good deal with our European friends, and we can get out of this really damaging European Union, "says Boyd, who chafes at the way European workplace rules hamper his flexibility in a business that is cyclical by nature.

THE BRITISH RETIREE IN SPAIN: DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK

If Brexit means that retirees Karen and Peter Watling have to leave the Mediterranean coast of Spain to return to the dreary British Midlands, expect them to be kicking and screaming on the plane back home.

Their decision to retire in Spain after long careers in England made perfect sense - before Brexit.

They enjoy a reciprocal health care arrangement between Britain and Spain that allows them to receive free medical care and medication, which is crucial because Peter, 70, has a serious ailment.

Karen Watling doesn't expect the health care agreement between the two EU countries to survive the divorce, which would force them to seek government-sponsored health insurance in Spain or reluctantly move back to England.

"For us it would be a disaster because it would be well over 300 euros a month plus medication," she says of the insurance she would need in Spain. "We wouldn't be able to afford it."

Brexit has already hit their purchasing power.

Their pensions are paid in British pound sterling, which has, since the referendum, dropped by about 15 percent in relation to the euro used in Spain.

Karen Watling who is also 70 says she has been anxious and tearful since June 23.

She is angry at the government - believing that Brits living in other EU countries are being used as a bargaining chip - and mortified by what the referendum results say about the country where she worked as a teacher for decades.

"I am devastated to see how the UK has now become, "she says.

THE ITALIAN 'LONDONER' WHO SUDDENLY FEELS OUT OF PLACE - IN HIS OWN HOME

Brexit has cost him money, plenty of money each month as the cost of importing meats and cheese from Italy has risen because of the drop in value of the British pound.

But Gastronomica founder Marco Vineis seems most upset by Brexit's emotional pain, not its financial toll.

"I feel myself quite a Londoner, even if I wasn't born here," says Vineis, 52, in his salami and cheese filled deli, where the aroma of rich Italian espresso lingers.

"Now I feel myself a bit of a foreigner. So, this feeling I don't like it a lot. This is after 25 years I've been here."

With the current exchange rate of the pound against the euro, in "three years we need to close," he says, or change the business by replacing tomatoes and pecorino with scallops and cheddar.

London, UK – 17 February 2017

1. London School of Economics academic, Henning Meyer walking into office

2. Hands on keyboard mouse

3. Meyer's own picture of Berlin on his computer

4. Various Meyer looking at his photos of Berlin

5. Photos being scrolled through

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Henning Meyer, London School of Economics academic:

"It's just the feeling that the mood has changed. It's not just the immediate reaction after the referendum - you know everybody knows about what happened to, not me personally, but Polish citizens or others who have been subject to abuse or even worse - so what also changed is how the referendum campaign altered the pubic discourse in this country. Because it was a shameful campaign, in my view, and it has made stereotyping xenophobia mainstream."

7. Cutaway of hands

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Henning Meyer, London School of Economics academic:

"In the cold light of day it is clear that the best decision for us in the medium to long-term - even though in the short-term it might be more disruptive - is moving back to Berlin."

9. Various of Henning looking at photo of plot of land he has bought in Berlin

Riga, Latvia - 17 February 2017

10. Various of English class at Riga State 2nd Gymnasium

11. Close of Katrina Rubina

12. Pan of class

13. Rubina exiting classroom

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Katrina Rubina, 18, student hoping to study in UK:

"I've been dreaming about studying in the UK for a long time, since I was six years old, purely because of Harry Potter. And right now if because of the Brexit, the student loans are cut, there are no more opportunities for people (from the EU) who were depending on these loans and thus, my chance would be blown."

15. Girl holding a University of Edinburgh bag

16. Rubina talking to classmates in the corridor

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Katrina Rubina, 18, student hoping to study in the UK:

I've worked every single test and doing all these extra curriculars, and right now, kind of, all was useless if I cannot study there anymore. Because that's all I worked for - to study in the UK. And if I cannot - it was all for nothing."

18. Various exteriors of Riga State 2nd Gymnasium

Bournemouth, UK - 28 February 2017

19. Pan interior of John Reid and Sons steel factory

20. Various of steel welding

21. Various set ups of John Reid and Sons managing director, Simon Boyd

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Simon Boyd, Managing Director, John Reid and Sons:

"It was pretty clear after Mr Cameron's failed attempts to negotiate a better deal with the EU that we weren't going to get anything that worked for me, my family, my business, my employees and indeed the vast majority of people in the UK and now I think we have to support government. I think government is in an excellent position to negotiate a really good deal with our European friends, and we can get out of this really damaging European Union."

23. Cutaway tilt down face

24. SOUNDBITE (English) Simon Boyd, Managing Director, John Reid and Sons:

"I'm a businessman, I care about this company, I care about our industry, and I care about everybody in the country to be honest, no matter where you come from. The fact of the matter is that politicians will argue black is white, day in day out. We have to deal with the facts. It's us that have to bear the burden of regulation. It's us that have to cope with the stresses and anxieties that all this regulation places not only on us who run the business but on our employees, and a one size fits all approach, which is what the European Union has done with British business has been really bad for us."

25. Various steel cutting

26. Forklift operating

Torrevieja, Spain - 1 March 2017

27. Wide Torrevieja beach

28. Mid people walking on the beach

29. Mid people in a bar terrace

30. Close menu sign in English

31. Various set up shots of Karen Watling, a UK pensioner from Yorkshire

32. SOUNDBITE (English) Karen Watling, UK pensioner living in Spain:

"For us it would be a disaster because it would be well over 300 euros a month plus medication, we wouldn't be able to afford it."

33. Close up of hands

34. SOUNDBITE (English) Karen Watling, UK pensioner living in Spain:

"We didn't leave the United Kingdom because we didn't like it, we left it because we thought we would have a better retirement in a warmer place and that's true. We are quite happy here. The UK is still my home country. And I am devastated to see how the UK has now become."

35. Mid food sign in English

London - 16 February 2017

36. Exterior of Gastronomica Italian deli

37. Various of customers, produce in background

38. Various of deli items

39. Various of Italian restaurateur and food importer Marco Vineis preparing sandwich

40. SOUNDBITE (English) Marco Vineis, Italian restaurateur and food importer:

"I feel myself quite (a) Londoner, even if I wasn't born here. Now I feel myself a bit of a foreigner. So, this feeling I don't like it a lot. This is after 25 years, I've been here, I feel London as it is my house, almost."

41. Cutaway hands

42. SOUNDBITE (English) Marco Vineis, Italian restaurateur and food importer:

"I hope the pound must be at least over the 1.15 (to the euro) otherwise it's going to be... if it carries on for 10 years at 1.10, after three years we need to close. Or change our business. Having English product. So, if we are very keen on these zero kilometres product, perfect. We can do it. Tomorrow we can buy, I don't know.... scallops, cheddar..."

43. Staff preparing food

44. Plate of mozzarella and tomato salad

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented new proposals on Brexit to the European Union, a feeling of uncertainty amongst the UK public who voted on both sides of the referendum remained on Wednesday.

The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who saw the proposals, said they constituted progress but that the gap between both sides remains daunting.

In London, a supporter of leaving the EU said a delay to Brexit would be "nonsense" and will not make any difference to negotiations.

"We have to be out by the 31st (of October)," said Steven Morgan.

Rhiannon Taylor, who wants the UK to remain in the EU, alleged Johnson's "main policy point" had always been to leave the bloc without a deal.

The border on the island of Ireland remains the key sticking point in negotiations and the EU is insistent it remains transparent and open.

Dr Alan Wager, Research Associate at the UK in a Changing Europe initiative, said this was impossible "given the current red lines of the UK government".

"What Boris Johnson's plan has come up with is a border that will exist both on the island of Ireland and between the UK and Ireland. So actually it's two borders. So there's actually no way of getting around this," Wager said.

Johnson has said in a letter to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the UK proposes to achieve an open border by keeping Northern Ireland closely aligned to EU rules for trade in goods, possibly for an extended period.

London - 2 October 2019

1. Exterior of King's College London

2. Various of Research Associate at the UK in a Changing Europe initiative, Dr Alan Wager, watching British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's speech

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Alan Wager, Research Associate at the UK in a Changing Europe initiative:

"So Boris Johnson's speech to the Conservative Party conference was, principally about putting the Conservative Party on a footing for a general election on which he'll fight as the candidate that's protecting the will of the people from the referendum in 2016 against Parliament, which is trying to block Brexit. So it was quite light on policies. It was all about politics and positioning for an election to come."

4. Cutaway of banner

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Alan Wager, Research Associate at the UK in a Changing Europe initiative:

"Boris Johnson has made a promise that there will be no checks or border on the island of Ireland or between Northern Ireland and the UK. This is impossible given the current red lines of the UK government. So what Boris Johnson's plan has come up with is a border that will exist both on the island of Ireland and between the UK and Ireland. So actually it's two borders. So there's actually no way of getting around this without increasing the amount of economic checks and increasing the amount of border posts that will exist on the island of Ireland."

6. Cutaway office

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Alan Wager, Research Associate at the UK in a Changing Europe initiative:

"So, extending Article 50 on the premise of getting a deal with the European Union in the end costs the UK nothing. This is already money that's been paid into the withdrawal agreement and the future framework. This is all money that is already got out of the UK's account, if you like. And no deal will cause a lot of significant economic damage in the short, medium, and long term. Approximately, sort of, 9% of GDP over a decade would be lost and there would be a lot of short term disruption to supply chains and so on."

8. Various beauty shots of London, Houses of Parliament and London Eye

9. Various of group of pro-Brexit demonstrators in street

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Steven Morgan, pro-Brexit demonstrator:

"I do not believe that he will go back and ask for an extension for three months. And even if he did, I'm not sure the EU will want an extension for three months. Because what's that going to achieve? Then at the end of three months it could be another three months. Nobody knows. So it's a complete and total nonsense. So we have to be out by the 31st (of October)."

11. Various of pro-Brexit demonstrators

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Rhiannon Taylor, anti-Brexit demonstrator:

"Honestly, I think we're just headed down the same path we were headed down before the speech. It gave nothing new for us to take any sort of hope from or any direction from. It's just more of the same. We all know what Boris wants to do. Boris wants a no-deal Brexit. That is his main policy point."

13. Low-angle shot of anti-Brexit sign with Houses of Parliament tower in background

Leave and remain campaigners gathered outside Britain's Parliament on Thursday, as the government announced it will try again next week to trigger an election after its first attempt was rejected by Parliament.

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said a vote will be held Monday on a motion calling for a snap poll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to hold an election to break the country's Brexit impasse, but opposition lawmakers are refusing to support him unless he lifts his threat to take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 without a divorce agreement.

Parliament is currently passing a law that would compel the government to seek a delay to Brexit rather than crash out on Halloween, with opposition Labour Party saying that once the bill becomes law - expected to happen Monday - the party will agree to a new election.

Reactions to the political turmoil were mixed among demonstrators at London's Parliament Square on Thursday.

"I think, at the moment, the issue is around the election. It would make it a Brexit election, quite frankly," pro-remain campaigner Jayne Keane said.

Leave campaigner Miroslav Schonauer criticised the Labour party for not respecting the people's vote in the 2016 EU referendum, when seeking to delay Brexit and voting against Johnson's proposed snap election.

"The only thing this means is that Corbyn wants to stop Brexit," Schonauer said. "First, they refused the deal (put forth by former Prime Minister Theresa May), now they are ruling out No-Deal. So what's the third option?" he added.

London - 5 September 2019

++QUALITY AS INCOMING++

1. Various of pro-Brexit demonstrator Miroslav Schonauer, dressed as a chicken in attempt to impersonate UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn who on Wednesday did not vote for a snap general election proposed by Prime Minister Johnson (Johnson also called Corbyn "a chicken" during Prime Minister's Questions)

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Schonauer, pro-Brexit demonstrator:

"Everything that Labour says is a lie. In their manifesto they put they would respect the vote of the (2016 EU) referendum. They are not respecting it. First, they refused the deal (put forth by former Prime Minister Theresa May), now they are ruling out No-Deal. So what's the third option? What is the third option? If you don't want to accept the deal, if you are ruling out No-Deal, the only thing that this means is he (Corbyn) wants to stop Brexit. Because, he's betraying all the Labour voters who voted to leave and it's probably majority."

3. Set-up shot of Jayne Keane, pro-EU demonstrator, holding up EU flag, balloons and anti-Boris Johnson sign

4. Close of sign reading (English) "Johnson, none of the above apply!" referring to text written on balloons, including the words "leadership," "openness," and "integrity."

5. Balloons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jayne Keane, pro-EU demonstrator:

"I think, at the moment, the issue is around the election. It would make it a Brexit election, quite frankly. And, I'm quite sure that Jeremy Corbyn would be very happy to fight that election, but at the moment, I think it's probably quite important that Boris Johnson (will) be exposed, really, for some of the falsehoods that he's told people. And I think, while he's on the ropes, so we should leave him there a bit longer."

7. Set-up shot of Anna Soubry MP, former Conservative MP who helped create the Change UK party (centrist, pro-European party in the UK). ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Anna Soubry MP, former Conservative who helped set up Change UK party:

"Well I don't want a general election until we have absolutely ensured that we are not going to be crashing out of the EU before, or rather after, October 31. So I don't believe we should have a general election until we've secured that. The reason why people worked cross-party, putting aside their normal differences, is because we put the country's interest first. And it is profoundly bad for our contry to crash out without a deal. So we must make sure that we have that extension in place. Then we can move on to what we do next. The only vote I'm interested in, actually, is a people's vote (a public vote on a final Brexit deal) - that's what I want."

Reporter: "Do you think that will happen?"

Soubry: "I don't know what's going to happen. I think one of those things about this, it's not a great time in British politics that we're dealing with, mildly. You never really know what's going to happen. I think what we can say is that British businesses are crying out for certainty. And the British people are fed up with it. So we've got to start to bring this to a conclusion. The way through the crisis, in my view, is to have that people's vote - that's the way to get through the crisis."

9. Anti-government protester with painting of naked Boris Johnson

10. Close of painting of naked Johnson

11. Parliament exterior, EU flags outside

12. Leave and remain campaigners outside Parliament

13. Mid of leave campaigners with placards reading (English) "Loyal Brits vote Brexit" and "We voted leave."

14. Wide of Parliament

15. Various of Parliament building details

16. British flag

Brexit Party's Nigel Farage spent his last day of the election campaign in Doncaster, amongst neighbourhoods faithful to the Labour party for decades.

Speaking to reporters on his last leg of his election campaign Wednesday, Farage said the traditional Labour stronghold "are overwhelmingly against the European Union."

"So La bour faces this huge problem – 35 to 40 percent of its support in areas like this has a completely different view to most of its leadership and they've really been trapped by this," he added.

"I've been Labour all my life but there's no councillors come round, asking you different questions or is there anything you want," lamented 81-year-old Albert Thompson, who has been a lifetime Labour supporter.

"I'm just absolutely pissed off with Labour," he added.

Farage is hoping tactical voting will pay off – enough weight to pressure on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson into making changes to the deal he negotiated with Brussels.

"We're on the way towards Brexit, it's happening. But is it going to be the right one?" Farage added.

Marilyn Tuck, a 66-year-old retiree, said she is disappointed that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Brexit group did not join hands in this election.

"I've always been Conservative but I'm disappointed with Boris not joining in. It'd been great. So I'm going with the Brexit Party and hopefully we can get a few seats and hopefully we can get out of the EU because I'm sick of them," she added.

Seeking to broaden his party's appeal, Farage also is trumpeting policies including the abolition of Parliament's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords.

He also advocate to slash immigration to under 50,000 people a year, less than a quarter of current levels.

Doncaster - 11 December 2019

1. Wide of Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage coming out of a voter's house and posing for photographers

2. Close of Farage talking to a lifetime Labour voter Albert Thompson

3. Close of Thompson during conversation with Farage

4. Wide of Thompson waving to Farage and Brexit Party volunteers

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Albert Thompson, 81-year-old lifetime Labour voter:

"I'm just absolutely pissed off with Labour. I've been (with) Labour all my life but there's no councillors come round, asking you different questions or is there anything you want. I mean, I'm 81 now and nobody's been around here to see me. There's nobody being anywhere near. You never see a councillor and… Is it Gerald Farage? What do you call this gentleman? Nigel, that's right. He's the first one that's been round."

6. Various of Farage and entourage walking down street

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"So Labour has a big problem here that London Labour, Metropolitan Labour is overwhelmingly in favour of the European project. You know, wants us to be fully part of the Brussels machine but old Labour, traditional Labour, working class Labour, former mining areas, former industrial areas, are overwhelmingly against the European Union as indeed they were against the Common Market going back to the 1970s. And so Labour faces this huge problem, you know, that 35 to 40 percent of its support in areas like this has a completely different view to most of its leadership and they've really been trapped by this."

8. Brexit Party candidate Surjit Singh Duhre talking to local

9. Wide of Doncaster residential street

10. Various of Brexit party volunteers

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"I'm pleased that we've managed to drag the Conservative Party to where it is. But for me and for most of the 17.4 million voters, Brexit is about us becoming an independent country and not being a subject in any way, to aligning our rules on everything from financial services to fisheries with the EU law. So, we're on the way towards Brexit, it's happening. But is it going to be the right one?"

12. Various of Farage walking up to a voters house and speaking to her

13.SOUNDBITE (English) Marilyn Tuck, 66-year-old retiree:

"I've looked at all the policies and I really...I've been disappointed in Boris (Johnson, UK Prime Minister) that he didn't join in with Nigel. I wanted them two together and it wasn't that so it's my reason and with Nigel and he's been campaigning for 25 years and he's never stopped and that's why… because I've always been Conservative but I'm disappointed with Boris not joining in. It'd been great. So I'm going with the Brexit Party and hopefully we can get a few seats and hopefully we can get out of the EU because I'm sick of them."

14. Various of Farage walking down the street

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Leader of Brexit Party:

"I think basically the whole future of Euro-scepticism in Europe depends on what happens here. It's all eyes on Britain. What is the United Kingdom decide to do and if we do break away fully and we are seen to have done well, of course those movements across Europe would grow."

16. Brexit party Candidate Surjit Singh Duhre talking to local voter

17. Mid of houses with trees in foreground

18. Close of Christmas lights on the roof

19. Wide of Doncaster residential street

The Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament said on Thursday that the UK deciding to leave the European Union had caused a renewal of interest in the European project.

Speaking at an event at the London School of Economics, Guy Verhofstadt said that the EU had gained popularity since the UK's referendum last year.

In a wide ranging speech on Brexit, Verhofstadt also put forward a vision of an ever closer union of remaining European Union states including the chance to elect politicians at a European level, as opposed to just nationally.

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London - 28 August 2017

1. Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, walking to lectern

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament

"I have to tell you that I also know why Theresa May gave her speech in Florence. I presume that I know it. I think she chose Florence because Florentine politics in the 15th Century made her feel at home I think. You know, backstabbing, betrayal, noble families fighting for power and so, and so on, so I think that this is an environment that she recognised very well."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament

"At the very beginning she referred to the renaissance as a period of history that defined what it meant to be European. Well that's exactly what the European Union is all about. The European Union, ladies and gentlemen is far more than a peace process after the Second World War, far more than the Franco-German reconciliation alone. The European Union is all about civilisation. It's in fact the political translation of that civilisation, of that European common culture and values. That is what this European Union is about."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament

"So criticising people for wanting to keep their European identity, accusing them of split allegiance is binary, is old fashioned. I think it's reductionist view on identity. I think it's perfectly possible but I look to the Mayor (of London, Sadiq Khan, in the audience), who has more experience, to be a Londoner, English, British, and European at the same time and there is no contradiction and that has nothing to do with split allegiance. So my message at the beginning of my intervention - watch out, beware of politicians who want to define your identity. The only reason they do so is to categorise people. To reduce you to your nationality, your ethnicity your religion and, split allegiance are two words that belong to the langauge of states that are in my opinion totalitarian, and not of democracies, not of democracies like Britain. In all democracies, people they find their own allegiance, define themselves how British, how European they feel and not the minister of foreign affairs, if I may say so (in reference to UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson)."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament

"I have to tell you very honestly, and I've said this already a few times but i want to repeat it here in London, but I continue to believe that Brexit is a very negative project, that it is in fact a waste of time and energy. The destruction of a strong political bond that made people on both sides of the channel richer freer than ever before. But we are democrats. We have to respect the outcome of the referendum. And more over we have to implement it and that is exactly what Europe will do and also will establish a new relationship, a new relationship between the European Union and the UK that hopefully will be beneficial for everybody, for both. And if you ask me the question, is there really, really, really, nothing positive you can say about Brexit, well I can say yes, there is something positive. It has opened people's eyes on the continent."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiatior for the European Parliament

"There has been a fundamental shift in the thinking about Europe, in the heads of a number of people and leaders in Europe. And that is not to look anymore to Europe and the European Union as a bunch of nation-states, but as a genuine political community, as a democracy on a continental scale, and two proposals that I already defended a number of years ago but nobody believed to be realistic - they were dreams that would never realise themselves - are proof of that. The first proposal is the call, we have seen that I hope, for transnational list, the idea to turn the European Union into one big constituency and to give to all citizens in Europe two ballots - one to choose their own representative of their country in the parliament and the second one to elect a number of politicians on the European level, what in my opinion would make European politics more democratic and what will lift in fact this European democracy on a continental scale, what we absolutely need."

7. Verhofstadt being seated

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that the only way to break Britain's Brexit impasse was a general election. Johnson said he would ask lawmakers to vote Monday on a motion calling a national poll for December 12.

To hold an election Johnson must win a vote - by a two-thirds majority - among lawmakers. That looked like a tough task, with the main opposition Labour Party saying it would only back an election once the risk of Britain crashing out of the EU on October 31 - its scheduled departure date - had been removed.

Jill Rutter, a political analyst with UK in a Changing Europe, says of the Prime Minister's hopes for an election, "although he is giving more time, he's not giving that much more time and he is very keen I think to ensure that there is minimum parliamentary scrutiny of his deal."

Rutter says a split in the Labour Party over whether to allow an election or not is due to two very different view points on strategy going forward.

"Quite a lot of his (Jeremy Corbyn's) MPs generally think that we need to sort Brexit first—need to sort Brexit either by parting from the Withdrawal Agreement bill if you are in a leave seat or actually getting Parliament to finally agree to referendum. But there are quite a lot of others who are doing this sort of electoral calculation saying, 'we are way behind in the opinion polls why on earth are we allowing the conservatives to have an election when they seem to be doing quite well and might have a post deal bounce?"

Parliament has already dealt Johnson a series of setbacks, and derailed his promise to take Britain out of the EU by the end of the month.

The most recent blow came Tuesday, when lawmakers blocked Johnson's attempt to fast-track an EU divorce bill through Parliament in a matter of days, saying they needed more time to scrutinise the legislation.

London - 25 October 2019

1. Westminster Bridge and Palace of Westminster in the background

2. Various of central London streets near palace of Westminster

11. Jill Rutter, political analyst, during interview

12. Jill Rutter, political analyst, during interview

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jill Rutter, Senior research fellow at the 'UK in a Changing Europe' initiative:

"Part of the strategy I think is to say that both opposition parties are blocking Brexit and potentially blocking an election. The second one is, although he is giving more time, he's not giving that much more time and he is very keen I think to ensure that there is minimum parliamentary scrutiny of his deal and minimises the chance that the bill that he is using to put the Withdrawal Agreement into UK law will be amended as it goes through both the Commons and Lords. So, he is basically trying to crystallise something where those Labour MPs who supported him at second reading will be force to have a choice of whether do they actually go through the lobbies with him on third reading."

14. Brexit party signs

15. Brexit party signs and various flags

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Jill Rutter, Senior research fellow at 'UK in a Changing Europe' initiative:

"Quite a lot of his (Jeremy Corbyn, Labour party leader) MPs generally think that we need to sort Brexit first - need to sort Brexit either by parting from the Withdrawal Agreement bill if you are in a leave seat or actually getting Parliament to finally agree to a referendum. But there are quite a lot of others who are doing this sort of electoral calculation saying, 'we are way behind in the opinion polls - why on earth are we allowing the conservatives to have an election when they seem to be doing quite well and might have a post deal bounce? We seem to be doing quite badly so we would lose,' and open up the way to a majority Johnson government."

17. Various of London Eye and people walking by

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Margot Deon, French citizen who lives in London:

"I think it is getting a bit complicated in (on) our (French) side of the Brexit. It is getting long and people don't know what to think anymore and I'm not sure another election, an early election would be the solution. I don't know. I don't know what is going on actually. I think people don't understand and they don't know where it's going to go right now."

19. Various street scenes

20. SOUNDBITE (English) John McCulley, lives in London:

"I think the only way forward is there has to be another election because it is the only possible way of finding a way forward."

21. Various of River Thames and Palace of Westminster