WORLD BREXIT REVIEW

SOURCE: AP HORIZONS, LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY / POOL

RESTRICTIONS: HORIZONS CLIENTS AND AP LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH: 6.44

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

London, UK - 22 February 2016

1. Wide of UK Houses of Parliament as London bus passes

2. Close of clock face at the top of Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben

AP Television

London, UK - 16 June 2016

3. Wide of Big Ben as seen from Buckingham Palace

4. Wide of Buckingham Palace

POOL

London, UK - 3 June 2012

5. Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip (centre), Charles (left) and Camilla (right) on royal barge during Diamond Jubilee celebrations

6. Mid of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry on royal barge

7. Pull out of royal barge sailing down River Thames during Diamond Jubilee celebrations

AP Television

London, UK - 11 June, 2016

8. Mid of Queen Elizabeth II in carriage during the Trooping of the Colour for her 90th birthday celebrations

9. Wide of Guardsmen in ceremonial marching during the celebrations

AP Television

London, UK - 1960s

++BLACK AND WHITE FOOTAGE / MUTE++

++4:3++

10. Close tilt down of man putting shirt in carrier bag

11. Wide of man by scooters

UNIVERSAL ARCHIVES

London, UK - 31 October 1963

++BLACK AND WHITE FOOTAGE / MUTE++

++4:3++

12. Various of Beatles getting off plane in London

AP Television

London, UK - 7 June 2016

++16:9++

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Johnston, Fashion Director, GQ Magazine UK

"You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

AP Television

London, UK - 3 July 2012

14. Punk and goth street fashion in Camden

AP Television

London, UK - 16 June, 2016

15. Hipster in Brick Lane cafe

16. Pull focus of street sign reading: (English) "Brick Lane E1"

17. Various of curry houses on Brick Lane

AP Television

Margate, UK - 8 June 2016

18. Various of Margate beach and people relaxing in sunshine

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Iain Aitch, Author:

"Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

20. Various of takeaway fish and chips being served

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, April 30, 1973 (MUTE)

++4:3++

21. Red buses on a London street

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, September 24, 1973 (MUTE)

++4:3++

22. Tilt down of Ford workers walking out of various plants

23. Wide of Ford cars on a train

24. Various men take part in industrial action at Ford plant

AP Television

United Kingdom, February 10, 1974 - no exact location available

++4:3++

25. Various of non functioning coal mines during national coal strike

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, June 3, 1975 (MUTE)

++4:3++

26. Mid of Margaret Thatcher wearing a flags-of-Europe sweater, flanked by women also wearing pro-Europe sweaters

AP Television

Maastricht, Netherlands - 7 June 2016

++16:9++

27. Clocktower of Maastricht town hall with EU, Limburg and Maastricht flags

28. Wide of streets in the town

AP Television

London, UK - 7 July 2016

29. Various of autistic teenager Rens Van Velzen completing other puzzles with black and yellow blocks against the clock

30. Close tilt down of the psychologist on the autism study at Kings College London timing Rens Van Velzen during test

31. Close of Van Velzen

32. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Declan Murphy lead scientist, EU Aims study on autism, Kings College London:

"Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre or from one country."

33. Various of Van Velzen being tested in eye tracking unit at Kings College London

AP Television

Southampton, UK - 16 September 2016

34. Wide of Southampton Boat Show 2016, cruise ship in background

35. Tilt down to pontoon, boats and visitors

36. Close of 'Sunseeker' flag

37. Various of Sunseeker 95 Yacht exterior

38. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Popham, CEO of Sunseeker International:

"We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

39. Various of Fairline yacht

40. SOUNDBITE (English) Russell Currie, Managing Director of Fairline Yachts:

"We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market

41. Zoom out from cruise ship docked near boat show

42. SOUNDBITE (English) Howard Pridding, Chief Executive of British Marine:

"Industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic"

AP Television

Mijas, Malaga - October 6, 2016

43. Wide of coastal area of Mijas

44. Pan of typical apartments in the area and people walking by the sea side

45. Various of British pensioners taking Spanish classes in the Parnell School

46. Various of Juan Mayor Carlos Maldonado in his office

47. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Carlos Maldonado, Mayor of Mijas:

"When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

48. Various of family walking near beach

49. Pan from people walking up steps from the beach to the owner of Royal Beach cafe talking

50. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Sergio Morales, co-owner of Royal Beach bar in Mijas:

"Most of our clients here, around 80% of them, are British."

AP Television

London, UK - 1 November 2016

51. Pull focus of bronze Japanese archer

52. Mid of men admiring antique chandelier

53. Art dealer Tanya Baxter showing painting to visitor

54. Close tilt down of painting 'Paper Bride in Waiting' by Zeng Chuanxing (price £120,000/ USD 147,000)

55. Wide of antique clock stand

AP Television

London, UK - 9 November 2016

56. Mid of Tiana Wilson with Santa who is holding a Hatchimal waiting for the toy to hatch

57. Wide of girl playing with toy on chair

58. Mid zoom in to boys playing with Bluetooth Furbys

59. Low mid view of caterpillar going past boys and Furbys

60. SOUNDBITE (English) Frederique Tutt, toy industry analyst, NPD:

"Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

AP Television

Lundby, Denmark - 22 November 2016

61. Mid tilt up of Christmas tree plantation

62. Wide of plantation through tops of trees

AP Television

Copenhagen, Denmark - 21 November 2016

63. SOUNDBITE (English) Claus Jerram Christensen, Managing Director of the Danish Christmas Tree Association:

"The low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

64. Mid of large container truck filled with trees pulling out of yard stacked with trees

65. Pan across field of Christmas tree saplings for 2018 and beyond

LEADIN:

For decades Britain's discontent over its European Union (EU) membership has simmered on, but then came the June referendum.

Nationalism surfaced and Britain's voted to leave the EU.

Brexit as it became known sent shockwaves through money markets and governments around the world.

STORYLINE:

In the weeks running up to referendum judgement day, the British were busy with a little soul searching.

Mulling over their shared history, the country's pride in their democracy and heritage.

It was a year when Queen Elizabeth celebrated being the longest reigning UK monarch and the country celebrated her ninetieth birthday.

The pomp and ceremony from her recent jubilee were still a source of pride and were reminiscent of the heydays when London style was considered to be world leading.

In the 1960's British fashion and British pop were riding high.

That sense of being at the vanguard of style has continued, according to Robert Johnston the Fashion Director of GQ Magazine: "You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

Author Iain Aitch explained how a variety of heritages were now mixed up, making Britishness a more complex idea to communicate: "Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

But it wasn't this hipster, Brick Lane art and curry house side of Britain that won the vote.

The referendum on June 23rd was to signal the start of a long debate.

Britons for the first time had to absorb what being outside of the EU looked like.

Britain joined what was then called the European Economic Community in January 1973.

This was ratified by a referendum in 1975 with a resounding 67% majority.

By the seventies, Britain was beset by strikes and disgruntled union workers.

Traditional industries such as manufacturing and coal were in decline in the mid seventies.

Unemployment exceeded one million for the first time in March 1975. By the August that figure had increased to 1.25 million.

Some 83,000 immigrants were living in the UK by 1975, mostly from the Commonwealth.

According to Migration Watch UK for the year ending December 2015, net migration to the UK was 333,000.

And the lady had yet to turn. Margaret Thatcher MP (then leader of the opposition) campaigned to stay in the European Economic Community.

Later as prime minister between 1979 and 1990, Thatcher was known for her tough line with Brussels, especially during negotiations for the Maastrict Treaty in 1992.

The city of Maastrict is the home of the treaty which created the EU.

As summer arrived, businesses, leading universities and research establishments were beginning to assess the impact of Brexit.

For science and medicine, concerns were two fold.

Britain had attracted thousands of top researchers as well as billions of Euros in grants.

They went into research like this at Kings College London.

This project is a multidisciplinary look at the potential causes and effects of autism. It's a long term project which is linked to other studies across Europe.

Doctors and scientists aren't worried about losing cash in the short term, but falling behind in the knowledge race in the long term, especially as Britain has sought to place itself as a central base for the new industrial technologies.

The other fear is losing the brains which have been drawn to British research, people who now fear they will need to move to other institutions to keep up with the cash and the research.

Lead scientist at King's College Professor Declan Murphy warned: "Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre from one country."

The EU's Horizon 2020 budget is 80-billion Euro which funds medicine and science research across Europe.

Britain's split from the EU will leave a funding gap as well as a brain drain, according to Murphy. He argues it will be the children with autism like Van Velzen who will lose out.

As an island nation, boat building and sales have been important to the UK.

The industry fears rough waters may be ahead for Britain's luxury yacht industry, but right now it's riding on a wave caused by the plunge in the pound's value.

Phil Popham, the CEO of Sunseeker International was cautious: "We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

Others like Russell Currie, the Managing Director of Fairline Yachts, says he already had cause to worry: "We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market."

British Marine's chief executive Howard Pridding tried to show more confidence in the course ahead: "Obviously, industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic."

An estimated 1.2 million Britons live in other EU countries, mostly France, Portugal and Spain according to Britain's House of Commons library.

But that's a conservative figure because many expats don't bother registering with their embassies or the local authorities.

At Mijas on Spain's Costa del Sol, many Brits don't want to return to Blighty.

Used to the sun, sea and cafe society, some British residents are so concerned that their lives on the Costas are threatened, that after many years they're finally learning to speak Spanish.

According to Mijas' Mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado: "When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

Local traders are also keen to keep the British on the Costa.

Many are retired and spend their pensions here.

Bar owner Sergio Morales says: "Most of our clients here, around 80% of them, are British."

A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over British expats in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

And it's possible a string of similar nationality schools for expats may spring up.

Not everyone was bemoaning the onset of Brexit.

The art and antique market experienced a mini boom according to London dealers at this winter fair.

The weak pound against the dollar and Euro has seen American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains with savings of beween 25 and 30 per cent compared with six months ago.

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

They say investors see the arts market as a safe refuge in uncertain times.

As Christmas approaches the toy industry is bracing itself and Santa is wondering whether he'll have much to be jolly about.

It's the time of year when manufacturers and retailers count on making their biggest cash bonus of the year.

According to industry analyst Frederique Tutt: "Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

That's because toy retailers buy stock almost a year in advance and can keep prices stable, but the toy dealers here admit next year the stockings left out for Father Chrismas may have shrunk considerably.

There's nothing as Christmassy as a Christmas tree, but in Denmark the outlook for tree producers isn't quite so evergreen.

According to the Danish Christmas Tree Association, the small Scandinavian country grows around 11.5 million trees a year.

About 9.5 million of those are exported.

But these are challenging times and currency fluctuations are having an effect on trade.

Speaking about his members, Claus Jerram Christensen of the Danish Christmas Tree Association says: "They have experienced that the low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

The true impact of Brexit on Britain and Europe as a whole is still to an extent unknown.

The UK government had announced it was to trigger Article 50 next March to start negotiations to leave EU.

But since then, Brexit has twice been contested in the High Court.

One ruling has already stated Britain's law makers should be allowed a vote in Parliament beforehand.

Breaking up, it seems, really is hard to do.

====

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RESTRICTION SUMMARY: NO ACCESS GERMANY/7 DAYS NEWS ACCESS ONLY/ONLINE CLIENTS CAN USE ONLY 3 MINUTES IN TOTAL OF SUMMIT POOL FOOTAGE EACH DAY

SHOTLIST:

POOL - NO ACCESS GERMANY/7 DAYS NEWS ACCESS ONLY/ONLINE CLIENTS CAN USE ONLY 3 MINUTES IN TOTAL OF SUMMIT POOL FOOTAGE EACH DAY

Munich - 17 February 2017

1. Wide of panel discussion on "The Future of the European Union: United or Divided?"

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuanian President:

++SOUNDBITE CONTAINS VARIOUS ANGLES++

"We do have external threats as military pressures, which are becoming very serious and I know you talked at a previous session a lot about it. It's not only for Baltic states but generally we do face difficulties and threats from Russia directly. We do have even nuclear threats because it's not only about the military threats, it's about for example unsafe nuclear power plants on our borders, in Belarussia (Belarus) for example. So external pressures as information war, propaganda, cyber attacks, all this I call external pressures on our security inside Europe which practically pushes our agenda as everyday we see."

3. Wide of panel

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dalia Grybauskaite, Republic of Lithuania President:

++SOUNDBITE CONTAINS VARIOUS ANGLES++

"Finally, we have the Brexit element here as a topic which is spoiling really quite significantly our discussions and the goals influence how we need to tackle other problems, so it's not for good, opposites it's an additional challenge which we need to face."++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Frans Timmermans, First Vice President of the European Union;

++SOUNDBITE CONTAINS VARIOUS ANGLES++

"Because I believe, if you look at European society, whether it's a British society or on the continent, I would even say if you look at western society - you could include the United States - there is one common feature you see especially in the middle classes - this feeling that people have lost control of their destiny. I think the winning slogan in the Brexit campaign was to regain control. And this is not a British thing, this is a phenomenon we see in all western societies today. And that is a consequence of the many crises we have seen over the last 10 years, especially the economic crisis."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Witold Waszczykowski, Poland Minister of Foreign Affairs:

++SOUNDBITE CONTAINS VARIOUS ANGLES++

"For us, it's not only a divorce, for us it means not only the future relationship between the European Union and UK outside of the European Union but still being European. But this is also for us, the third part which is the reflection on the state of the union, the reflection of the causes of the Brexit. And I don't see that reflection among many countries, among many politicians. They think that everyone is guilty but not us."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Wolfgang Schaeuble, German Finance Minister:

++SOUNDBITE CONTAINS VARIOUS ANGLES++

"Our biggest problem actually is that more and more people all over Europe don't really trust the European institutions. That's what we have to change. Therefore we can use all the problems we face including the Brexit, as a waking up, a wake up call for Europe and to concentrate (on) what is most important."

8. Wide of panel

STORYLINE:

The Lithuanian President blamed Brexit of "spoiling" discussions at the Munich Security Conference.

Speaking on a panel on Friday at the annual gathering of diplomats and defence officials, Dalia Grybauskaite said the United Kingdom leaving the European Union had become an additional challenge that needs to be solved.

While Poland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Witold Waszczykowski, called on the European Union to reflect on the causes of Brexit and the state of the European Union.

The politicians were speaking on the first day of the conference which will see German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Council President Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg attend as well as more than 30 heads of state and government, 80 foreign and defence ministers and other officials.

===========================================================

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As British business owners try to come to terms with the vote to leave the European Union, there are fears of the implications a "Brexit" will have.

London perfume maker, Sarah McCartney, said her businesses future "is not smelling so sweet at the moment".

She said she relies on trade with Europe and not only has the cost of raw materials increased, so too will the amount of paper work.

International trade lawyer, Miriam Gonzalez, said trying to minimise businesses uncertainty should be the governments top priority.

She said businesses need to know what the framework for Britain's negotiations with the EU will be, so they can try and minimise uncertainty.

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Mark Boleat, said that those uncertainties mean that "some investment is certainly going to be deterred."

While Edwin Morgan from Institute of Directors said the unknowns mean two thirds of its members think a "Brexit" will be negative for their business and cutting investment, redundancies and relocating are all on the table.

London - 27 June 2016

1. Perfume maker Sarah McCartney working in her factory in west London

2. Close of essence being poured

3. Close of perfume essence being bottled

4. Cap being placed on vial

5. Perfume label reading (English) "Inevitable Crimes of Passion"

6. Label being stuck on vial

7. Finished vials

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah McCartney, 4160 Tuesdays perfume maker:

"I make perfume and the future is not smelling so sweet at the moment. I deal with France and Germany, I buy raw materials from Europe, I sell to Europe. I just think it's going to get a heck of a lot more complicated, and it's already got more expensive."

9. Various of McCartney during interview

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah McCartney, 4160 Tuesdays perfume maker:

"Our market is worldwide and I really, really need to trade with Europe. I buy raw materials from Europe and suddenly they're going to be, well at least, eight per cent more expensive and probably there's going to be ten times as much paperwork."

11. McCartney making perfume

12. Perfume bottles made by 4160 Tuesdays

13. Various of commuters in the City of London

14. Various of financial institutions

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Miriam Gonzalez, International Trade Lawyer:

"There are only a few companies that have really done the nitty-gritty homework to be ready for Brexit. Many of them, they were kind of hoping that it would not happen, so now is the time that they really need to start doing that work."

16. Cutaway of Gonzelez's hands

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Miriam Gonzalez, International Trade Lawyer:

"This country, the businesses in this country need to know what is the framework that the government is aspiring to negotiate, and therefore, whether that is the single market, remaining in the single market or not makes a crucial difference. Trying to minimise the legal uncertainty, I would have thought that is the top priority."

18. Various of painting by John Single Copley called "The Defeat of the Floating Batteries at Gibraltar"

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Boleat, City of London Corporation Policy Chairman:

"I think the authorities have handled the market turmoil as well as they could have done. That was done carefully on Friday and no doubt is continuing today but that's a short term issue. It's some of these longer issues that need resolving. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the growth of the British economy over the next few months, what impact on tax revenue, what impact on foreign direct investment."

20. Cutaway of painting

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Boleat, City of London Corporation Policy Chairman:

"The fundamentals remain unchanged, Britain is still a very attractive place for business and for investment, but given those sort of uncertainties some investment certainly going to be deterred. Very much depends what the sector is, how important membership of the single market is. But we are going to see some uncertainty and that's going to have an affect on investment."

22. Boleat walking

23. Various aerials of London's business district, Canary Wharf

24. Various exteriors of Parliament

25. Edwin Morgan, Head of Media Relations, Institute of Directors

26. Cutaway of report

27. SOUNDBITE (English) Edwin Morgan, Head of Media Relations, Institute of Directors:

"We asked our members immediately after the referendum result came in, what they thought, how they thought it would affect their businesses. Two thirds said that it was negative for them against only about a quarter who thought it was positive. On the specific questions we asked, we asked about investment and hiring decisions and there was also some quite worrying figures. About 36 percent of our members think that they will have to cut investment as a result and about 5 percent of our members say they might have to make redundancies which is obviously quite worrying. There are also some other figures in there on whether or not they'll keep all their operations in the UK or whether they may be forced to move overseas. About 1 in 5 are considering, as we speak, moving some of their operations out of the UK, whether that's to the EU or to somewhere outside it. I mean ultimately we think that our members are very resilient, we think British business is tough and will get through it and will adapt, but certainly at the moment there is a lot of nervousness out there in the business community."

28. Cutaway of report

US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the Oxford Union on Wednesday, speaking on a diverse range of issues, including corruption, Brexit and the problems that face Syria.

Kerry, who planned to attend UK Prime Minister David Cameron's anti-corruption conference on Thursday, appeared to give the prime minister some political cover by describing Nigeria's corruption as a problem its current leaders were working faithfully to address.

Fielding a question on Brexit, he reiterated US President Obama's stance that the US would be looking to make a trade agreement with 27 countries, not one.

Kerry also said that if Russia and Iran don't push Syrian President Bashar Assad to embrace their vision for Syria's future, the there ceasefire would completely fall apart.

US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the Oxford Union on Wednesday, speaking on a diverse range of issues, including corruption, Brexit and the problems that face Syria.

Kerry, who planned to attend UK Prime Minister David Cameron's anti-corruption conference on Thursday, appeared to give the prime minister some political cover by describing Nigeria's corruption as a problem its current leaders were working faithfully to address.

Fielding a question on Brexit, he reiterated US President Obama's stance that the US would be looking to make a trade agreement with 27 countries, not one.

Kerry also said that if Russia and Iran don't push Syrian President Bashar Assad to embrace their vision for Syria's future, the there ceasefire would completely fall apart.

Oxford - 11 May 2016

1. US Secretary of State John Kerry enters Oxford Union

2. Various of audience

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"We have to stop and ask on an international basis how it is that a bunch of generals in a country like Nigeria, which had happened previously, and the new president (Buhari) has run against all this, and we are working with him now to change it, but Nigeria saw tens of billions of dollars taken out of the country. Those were schools, those were health care, those were infrastructure, new jobs, hidden in bank accounts around the world."

4. Cutaway

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"We believe the presence of Britain in EU magnifies its voice, strengthens its ability to be able to impact on global effects, and if indeed the decision were made and your voters make that decision, of course we respect it. But the reality is that in a trade agreement, we're going to be looking to 27 countries, not one. We're going to try and maximize the market place and get the rules in as many countries as we can, because that's the way it's effective, so certainly it will have impacts like that."

6. Cutaway

7. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"A political negotiation, a transitional governance body that would run Syria while the constitution is being written and implemented, and then a cease-fire, nation-wide and then and election in a year and a half. Now we are now already five months in so it would be a year and whatever. But that's the envisioned outcome of Iran and Russia. It's pretty similar to ours. The issue is are they going to really push (Syrian President) Assad to embrace it. If he doesn't, the ceasefire will completely fall apart, they will go back to war baring some other kind of intervention that I don't necessarily see on the horizon right now."

8. Kerry finishes Oxford address to applause

LEAD IN:

Diamond encrusted guitars, giant rubies and golden pyramids were just some of the highlights of 2016's run of jewellery fairs across the globe.

But war, political uncertainty and economic turmoil took centre stage this year as most countries reported a downturn in jewellery markets.

STORY-LINE:

In January, Tokyo kicked off a year of glittering jewellery fairs in a sparkling mood.

The increasing economic uncertainty around the globe that marked the end of 2015 did not seem to be weighing heavily on the industry with organisers remaining optimistic about the market as a whole.

The centrepiece of the show was this 400 karat diamond guitar worth a cool US$2 million.

In March 2015 it was certified by the Guinness World Records as the world's most 'valuable guitar'.

It took 68 designers and craftsmen 2 months to complete this unique piece, which is made with 10,000 diamonds.

Other extravagant and novel designs included unique LED jewellery by Tohkoo.Co. Ltd.

The company developed very small LED lights and incorporated then into jewellery items such as earrings and even nails.

By February in Bangkok prospects for the industry were not looking quite so shiny.

The Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair takes place twice a year and is Asia's second largest trade show, attracting around 1,800 exhibitors.

But traders at the fair reported that the industry was struggling.

Foreign exhibitors were allowed to sell gems and jewellery duty-free. Many local exhibitors cut their prices too. This meant buyers saved about 20 percent, which traders hoped would encourage people to buy more.

The tactics became necessary due to the continuing effects of the global economy knocking onto the gems and jewellery market.

Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President of the Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association said the collapse of China's market had been particularly damaging.

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

But rubies and sapphires were still deemed safe bets - remaining in demand by the China market and maintaining their price.

Over in Hong Kong, platinum was the saviour at March's International Jewellery Show.

Traders said they were revelling in record low costs for the metal, with prices at their lowest for 7 years.

Platinum remains a popular material for jewellery, particularly in western wedding rings and minimal design pieces.

More than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions including India, Thailand and Turkey showcased their products at the 2016 show.

As one of the biggest jewellery consuming countries, gold-loving India said its jewellery industry had been slowing down and Indian traders voiced concern that their government's plan to reintroduce excise tax could result in a drop in sales.

For Istanbul's spring show, luxury and extravagance took centre stage with designers showcasing high-end pieces to customers.

This was the most expensive creation costing 6.3 million US dollars.

The miniature model of the Pyramids of Giza is made of 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, and weighs 157 kg.

In the jewellery pavilions, this queen of the Istanbul exhibition gold ring made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds was priced at 345,000 US dollars.

This dagger made of gold and giant rubies was valued at 250,000 US dollars.

And anybody who took a shine to this gold coated Mercedes car would have needed a cool 220,000 US dollars to drive it away.

But behind the luxury and extravagance, Turkish jewellery exporters reported that regional tensions between Turkey and Russia were having an impact on the market.

Relations between Russia and Turkey have soured over the conflict in neighbouring Syria, and have become particularly strained since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria on November 24.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, was displaying an array of jewellery of its own.

Known for its dazzling golden domes, at the end of March it presented a sparkling collection of jewellery in its museum.

The diamond flowers and gold birds form part of a collection of work on display by award-winning Russian jewellery designer Ilgiz Fazulzyanov.

Fazulzyanov is the first living designer to have been given a solo exhibition in the Kremlin since Pierre-Karl Faberge in 1917.

In Mumbai in August, the annual India International Jewellery Show saw jewellery makers reporting a slowdown in the industry due to soaring gold prices.

But they said designers were compensating by getting more innovative with their designs.

The gems and jewellery sector contributes about six percent to India's gross domestic product (GDP), according to the India Brand and Equity Foundation.

That's due to high local demand and India's role as major centre for cutting and polishing diamonds.

Jewels play an important role in weddings, festivals, or any special occasion in India, making them a much sought after commodity.

Not only jewellery, but also art works, ornaments and even clothing are crafted from gold, silver and platinum and studded with diamonds and precious gems.

One of the highlights of the show was the "Peacock Ring", which holds the Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring: 3,827 diamonds in all.

Weighing slightly more than 50 grams, the ring was created by Savio Jewellery and has an estimated value of 2,744,525, US dollars.

The majority of the show had jewellery designed for women, priced from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Jewellery designer and blogger, Prernaa Makhariaa says Indian designers were experimenting with innovation, blending traditional Indian styles with Western designs to attract buyers.

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

In London, UK traders were confident their products had not lost their sparkle despite the Brexit vote.

Experts at the International Jewellery London show said a weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers were just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market was thriving.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He said: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, Rawlinson said 'brand Britain' was as strong as ever.

Examples of innovation came in the form of London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju and her explosion designs and Katy Tromans' fairytale inspired silver rings.

Finishing off the season in October it was back to Istanbul.

Dazzling Turkey's 2nd jewellery fair of the year was this miniature of Istanbul's Camlica Mosque made of gold.

The 300 kilogram piece honouring the largest mosque in Asia Minor (Anatolia) was valued at 10 million US dollars.

But Turkish traders were not celebrating.

Turkey is one of the top three global producers together with Italy and India, but the usually buoyant jewellery sector was waning.

The situation in Syria, terror attacks, a failed coup and a long-running internal conflict with the Kurdish minority all impacted.

Exhibitors attending the show reported an export market drop of 18% overall in the last year according to the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association. Total exports were 1.4 billion US dollars

Russia, Iran, UAE and Iraq, traditionally the biggest customers of Turkish jewellery, bought fewer Turkish products.

Russia was in 2014 one of the main buyers of Turkish jewellery and gold, but bilateral trade was halted a year ago when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria.

After resuming business this year, Russia is now the 18th buyer of Turkish jewellery.

Iran is now the top buyer, but the purchase of jewellery and gold has decreased by 38 per cent to 384 million US dollars from January to September compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association.

Tokyo, January 20, 2016

1. Tilt down $2 million guitar

2. Left Pan of Aaron Shum, President of Aaron Shum Jewellery holding the $2 million guitar his company made

3. Guinness World Records certificate for the most valuable guitar

4. Right pan - close up of body of guitar

5. A Japanese samurai helmet (kabuto) adorned with pearls

6. Tilt down of a golden teapot

7. Close of rings

8. Tilt down of coloured necklace

9. Wide of LED jewellery stand

10. Various of LED jewellery

Bangkok, Thailand, 26 February, 2016

11. Mid of gem and jewellery booth exterior at Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair

12. Mid of customers looking at gold and silver jewellery

13. Close of gold and silver jewellery

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President, Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association:

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

15. Close of ruby earrings

16. Close of ruby necklace

17. Close of rubies

18. Close of blue sapphire necklace

Hong Kong - 3rd March, 2016

19. Wide of Victor Chan, Executive Director of Continental Holdings Limited putting a diamond necklace on a holder

20. Close of 11.64 carat diamond and platinum necklace (Price: USD 35,000)

21. Close of diamond and platinum bracelets and ring. (Price of bracelet on top: USD 22,000; small bracelet on left: USD 8,000; ring: USD 4,000)

22. Wide of buyer in an Indian jewellery shop

23. Close of hands counting money

24. Pan to right of Indian style jewellery

25. Various of Ravi Ajmera, Director of Ravi Jewels & Handicrafts Pvt Ltd looking at an Indian wedding jewellery

Istanbul, Turkey - 10 March 2016

26. Various of a miniature of Pyramids of Giza made in gold by Turkish company Nadir Doviz, 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, 157 kilograms in total, valued at 6.3 million US dollars

27. Close of gold camels

28. Close of ring by Zen Diamond, made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds and gold, valued at 345,000 US dollars

29. Close of necklace by On Mucevherat made of 18 carat diamonds and gold, priced at 26,000 US dollars

30. Mid of On Mucevherat necklace and earrings, made of 18 carats diamonds and gold, price of earrings 8,000 US dollars

31. Various of Baget-Is dagger made of gold, diamonds, rubies, valued 250,000 US dollars, not for sale

32. Wide of Mercedes gold coated car, by Nadir Doviz, valued at 220,000 US dollars

Moscow, Russia - March 30, 2016

33. Wide of cathedral in the Kremlin

34. Various of Jewellery by Ilgiz Fazulzyanov on display

Mumbai, India - 5 August, 2016

35. Mid of Taj Mahal shaped ring

36. Zoom out of a replica of Howrah Bridge (in Kolkatta) which is made of gold and silver, on man's wrist

Mumbai, India - 4 August 2016

37. Mid of peacock ring made out of diamonds, which holds the 2015 Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in one ring (3827)

38. Tilt up of New Fusion necklaces with uncut diamonds, set diamonds and gold costing approximately 27,600 US dollars

39. Pull focus of necklaces on display

40. Tilt down of model wearing jewellery

41. Model wearing jewellery

42. SOUNDBITE (English) Prernaa Makhariaa, Jewellery Designer and Blogger:

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

43. Pull focus of strings of coloured stones

London, UK - 4 September, 2016

44. Pull focus of large diamond

45. Close of ring

46. Mid of women looking at ring

47. Close pan left from woman to emerald earring

48. Close of blue topaz explosion ring by Biiju

49. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Rawlinson, Chief Executive, The National Association of Jewellers:

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

50. Various shots of Bright Young Gem Katy Tromans demonstrating her Rapunzel tower ring

51. Close of Tromans' Alice in Wonderland ring ornament

Istanbul – 13 October 2016

52. Various of a miniature of Camlica Mosque, made in gold and silver by Turkish company Nadir Doviz, valued 10 million US dollars

53. Various of visitors

54. Close up to rings by Zen Diamond: (below) ring made by 20 and 7 carats diamonds and gold, valued at 324,000 US dollars; (upper right) ring made of 20 carats diamonds, valued at 97,000 US dollars

55. Various up of necklace by On Mucevherat made of 18 carats diamonds and gold, valued at 25,000 US dollars

LEAD IN:

Diamond encrusted guitars, giant rubies and golden pyramids were just some of the highlights of 2016's run of jewellery fairs across the globe.

But war, political uncertainty and economic turmoil took centre stage this year as most countries reported a downturn in jewellery markets.

STORY-LINE:

In January, Tokyo kicked off a year of glittering jewellery fairs in a sparkling mood.

The increasing economic uncertainty around the globe that marked the end of 2015 did not seem to be weighing heavily on the industry with organisers remaining optimistic about the market as a whole.

The centrepiece of the show was this 400 karat diamond guitar worth a cool US$2 million.

In March 2015 it was certified by the Guinness World Records as the world's most 'valuable guitar'.

It took 68 designers and craftsmen 2 months to complete this unique piece, which is made with 10,000 diamonds.

Other extravagant and novel designs included unique LED jewellery by Tohkoo.Co. Ltd.

The company developed very small LED lights and incorporated then into jewellery items such as earrings and even nails.

By February in Bangkok prospects for the industry were not looking quite so shiny.

The Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair takes place twice a year and is Asia's second largest trade show, attracting around 1,800 exhibitors.

But traders at the fair reported that the industry was struggling.

Foreign exhibitors were allowed to sell gems and jewellery duty-free. Many local exhibitors cut their prices too. This meant buyers saved about 20 percent, which traders hoped would encourage people to buy more.

The tactics became necessary due to the continuing effects of the global economy knocking onto the gems and jewellery market.

Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President of the Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association said the collapse of China's market had been particularly damaging.

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

But rubies and sapphires were still deemed safe bets - remaining in demand by the China market and maintaining their price.

Over in Hong Kong, platinum was the saviour at March's International Jewellery Show.

Traders said they were revelling in record low costs for the metal, with prices at their lowest for 7 years.

Platinum remains a popular material for jewellery, particularly in western wedding rings and minimal design pieces.

More than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions including India, Thailand and Turkey showcased their products at the 2016 show.

As one of the biggest jewellery consuming countries, gold-loving India said its jewellery industry had been slowing down and Indian traders voiced concern that their government's plan to reintroduce excise tax could result in a drop in sales.

For Istanbul's spring show, luxury and extravagance took centre stage with designers showcasing high-end pieces to customers.

This was the most expensive creation costing 6.3 million US dollars.

The miniature model of the Pyramids of Giza is made of 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, and weighs 157 kg.

In the jewellery pavilions, this queen of the Istanbul exhibition gold ring made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds was priced at 345,000 US dollars.

This dagger made of gold and giant rubies was valued at 250,000 US dollars.

And anybody who took a shine to this gold coated Mercedes car would have needed a cool 220,000 US dollars to drive it away.

But behind the luxury and extravagance, Turkish jewellery exporters reported that regional tensions between Turkey and Russia were having an impact on the market.

Relations between Russia and Turkey have soured over the conflict in neighbouring Syria, and have become particularly strained since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria on November 24.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, was displaying an array of jewellery of its own.

Known for its dazzling golden domes, at the end of March it presented a sparkling collection of jewellery in its museum.

The diamond flowers and gold birds form part of a collection of work on display by award-winning Russian jewellery designer Ilgiz Fazulzyanov.

Fazulzyanov is the first living designer to have been given a solo exhibition in the Kremlin since Pierre-Karl Faberge in 1917.

In Mumbai in August, the annual India International Jewellery Show saw jewellery makers reporting a slowdown in the industry due to soaring gold prices.

But they said designers were compensating by getting more innovative with their designs.

The gems and jewellery sector contributes about six percent to India's gross domestic product (GDP), according to the India Brand and Equity Foundation.

That's due to high local demand and India's role as major centre for cutting and polishing diamonds.

Jewels play an important role in weddings, festivals, or any special occasion in India, making them a much sought after commodity.

Not only jewellery, but also art works, ornaments and even clothing are crafted from gold, silver and platinum and studded with diamonds and precious gems.

One of the highlights of the show was the "Peacock Ring", which holds the Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in a single ring: 3,827 diamonds in all.

Weighing slightly more than 50 grams, the ring was created by Savio Jewellery and has an estimated value of 2,744,525, US dollars.

The majority of the show had jewellery designed for women, priced from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Jewellery designer and blogger, Prernaa Makhariaa says Indian designers were experimenting with innovation, blending traditional Indian styles with Western designs to attract buyers.

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

In London, UK traders were confident their products had not lost their sparkle despite the Brexit vote.

Experts at the International Jewellery London show said a weak pound, innovative design and a diverse marketplace for suppliers were just some of the reasons the UK jewellery market was thriving.

Michael Rawlinson is chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, the main industry body in the UK.

He said: "The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

With innovative designers continuing to emerge from the UK's most important jewellery schools in London and Birmingham, Rawlinson said 'brand Britain' was as strong as ever.

Examples of innovation came in the form of London-based designer Joanna Boyen of Biiju and her explosion designs and Katy Tromans' fairytale inspired silver rings.

Finishing off the season in October it was back to Istanbul.

Dazzling Turkey's 2nd jewellery fair of the year was this miniature of Istanbul's Camlica Mosque made of gold.

The 300 kilogram piece honouring the largest mosque in Asia Minor (Anatolia) was valued at 10 million US dollars.

But Turkish traders were not celebrating.

Turkey is one of the top three global producers together with Italy and India, but the usually buoyant jewellery sector was waning.

The situation in Syria, terror attacks, a failed coup and a long-running internal conflict with the Kurdish minority all impacted.

Exhibitors attending the show reported an export market drop of 18% overall in the last year according to the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association. Total exports were 1.4 billion US dollars

Russia, Iran, UAE and Iraq, traditionally the biggest customers of Turkish jewellery, bought fewer Turkish products.

Russia was in 2014 one of the main buyers of Turkish jewellery and gold, but bilateral trade was halted a year ago when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in Syria.

After resuming business this year, Russia is now the 18th buyer of Turkish jewellery.

Iran is now the top buyer, but the purchase of jewellery and gold has decreased by 38 per cent to 384 million US dollars from January to September compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association.

Tokyo, January 20, 2016

1. Tilt down $2 million guitar

2. Left Pan of Aaron Shum, President of Aaron Shum Jewellery holding the $2 million guitar his company made

3. Guinness World Records certificate for the most valuable guitar

4. Right pan - close up of body of guitar

5. A Japanese samurai helmet (kabuto) adorned with pearls

6. Tilt down of a golden teapot

7. Close of rings

8. Tilt down of coloured necklace

9. Wide of LED jewellery stand

10. Various of LED jewellery

Bangkok, Thailand, 26 February, 2016

11. Mid of gem and jewellery booth exterior at Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair

12. Mid of customers looking at gold and silver jewellery

13. Close of gold and silver jewellery

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Anthony Peter Brooke, Vice President, Thai Gem and Jewellery Traders Association:

"The China market has now unfortunately collapsed, and that's not the wrong word to use, it genuinely has collapsed. It's probably going to take another 4 to 5 years to get back to the state that it was before. What that means is that prices have basically collapsed. The raw material producing countries are no longer able to sell the amounts that they were before because of this big price differential."

15. Close of ruby earrings

16. Close of ruby necklace

17. Close of rubies

18. Close of blue sapphire necklace

Hong Kong - 3rd March, 2016

19. Wide of Victor Chan, Executive Director of Continental Holdings Limited putting a diamond necklace on a holder

20. Close of 11.64 carat diamond and platinum necklace (Price: USD 35,000)

21. Close of diamond and platinum bracelets and ring. (Price of bracelet on top: USD 22,000; small bracelet on left: USD 8,000; ring: USD 4,000)

22. Wide of buyer in an Indian jewellery shop

23. Close of hands counting money

24. Pan to right of Indian style jewellery

25. Various of Ravi Ajmera, Director of Ravi Jewels & Handicrafts Pvt Ltd looking at an Indian wedding jewellery

Istanbul, Turkey - 10 March 2016

26. Various of a miniature of Pyramids of Giza made in gold by Turkish company Nadir Doviz, 1,568 pieces of 24 carat gold, 157 kilograms in total, valued at 6.3 million US dollars

27. Close of gold camels

28. Close of ring by Zen Diamond, made of 20 and 7 carat diamonds and gold, valued at 345,000 US dollars

29. Close of necklace by On Mucevherat made of 18 carat diamonds and gold, priced at 26,000 US dollars

30. Mid of On Mucevherat necklace and earrings, made of 18 carats diamonds and gold, price of earrings 8,000 US dollars

31. Various of Baget-Is dagger made of gold, diamonds, rubies, valued 250,000 US dollars, not for sale

32. Wide of Mercedes gold coated car, by Nadir Doviz, valued at 220,000 US dollars

Moscow, Russia - March 30, 2016

33. Wide of cathedral in the Kremlin

34. Various of Jewellery by Ilgiz Fazulzyanov on display

Mumbai, India - 5 August, 2016

35. Mid of Taj Mahal shaped ring

36. Zoom out of a replica of Howrah Bridge (in Kolkatta) which is made of gold and silver, on man's wrist

Mumbai, India - 4 August 2016

37. Mid of peacock ring made out of diamonds, which holds the 2015 Guinness World Record for the most diamonds set in one ring (3827)

38. Tilt up of New Fusion necklaces with uncut diamonds, set diamonds and gold costing approximately 27,600 US dollars

39. Pull focus of necklaces on display

40. Tilt down of model wearing jewellery

41. Model wearing jewellery

42. SOUNDBITE (English) Prernaa Makhariaa, Jewellery Designer and Blogger:

"There has been an infusion of diamonds with gold, or diamond with different kind of textures. It's not only diamonds, but even coloured stones are being mixed with gold or with silver or with brass and copper. So India is getting innovative with a lot of different manufacturing techniques and they are trying to play with textures and different kind of materials."

43. Pull focus of strings of coloured stones

London, UK - 4 September, 2016

44. Pull focus of large diamond

45. Close of ring

46. Mid of women looking at ring

47. Close pan left from woman to emerald earring

48. Close of blue topaz explosion ring by Biiju

49. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Rawlinson, Chief Executive, The National Association of Jewellers:

"The British market actually has responded quite well post Brexit at the moment, people have some level of certainty, even if it is leaving the European Union, so we've seen a strengthening of trade in the last couple of months."

50. Various shots of Bright Young Gem Katy Tromans demonstrating her Rapunzel tower ring

51. Close of Tromans' Alice in Wonderland ring ornament

Istanbul – 13 October 2016

52. Various of a miniature of Camlica Mosque, made in gold and silver by Turkish company Nadir Doviz, valued 10 million US dollars

53. Various of visitors

54. Close up to rings by Zen Diamond: (below) ring made by 20 and 7 carats diamonds and gold, valued at 324,000 US dollars; (upper right) ring made of 20 carats diamonds, valued at 97,000 US dollars

55. Various up of necklace by On Mucevherat made of 18 carats diamonds and gold, valued at 25,000 US dollars

LEAD IN:

For decades Britain's discontent over its European Union (EU) membership has simmered on, but then came the June referendum.

Nationalism surfaced and Britain's voted to leave the EU.

Brexit as it became known sent shockwaves through money markets and governments around the world.

STORY-LINE:

In the weeks running up to referendum judgement day, the British were busy with a little soul searching.

Mulling over their shared history, the country's pride in their democracy and heritage.

It was a year when Queen Elizabeth celebrated being the longest reigning UK monarch and the country celebrated her ninetieth birthday.

The pomp and ceremony from her recent jubilee were still a source of pride and were reminiscent of the heydays when London style was considered to be world leading.

In the 1960's British fashion and British pop were riding high.

That sense of being at the vanguard of style has continued, according to Robert Johnston the Fashion Director of GQ Magazine: "You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

Author Iain Aitch explained how a variety of heritages were now mixed up, making Britishness a more complex idea to communicate: "Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

But it wasn't this hipster, Brick Lane art and curry house side of Britain that won the vote.

The referendum on June 23rd was to signal the start of a long debate.

Britons for the first time had to absorb what being outside of the EU looked like.

Britain joined what was then called the European Economic Community in January 1973.

This was ratified by a referendum in 1975 with a resounding 67% majority.

By the seventies, Britain was beset by strikes and disgruntled union workers.

Traditional industries such as manufacturing and coal were in decline in the mid seventies.

Unemployment exceeded one million for the first time in March 1975. By the August that figure had increased to 1.25 million.

Some 83,000 immigrants were living in the UK by 1975, mostly from the Commonwealth.

According to Migration Watch UK for the year ending December 2015, net migration to the UK was 333,000.

And the lady had yet to turn. Margaret Thatcher MP (then leader of the opposition) campaigned to stay in the European Economic Community.

Later as prime minister between 1979 and 1990, Thatcher was known for her tough line with Brussels, especially during negotiations for the Maastrict Treaty in 1992.

The city of Maastrict is the home of the treaty which created the EU.

As summer arrived, businesses, leading universities and research establishments were beginning to assess the impact of Brexit.

For science and medicine, concerns were two fold.

Britain had attracted thousands of top researchers as well as billions of Euros in grants.

They went into research like this at Kings College London.

This project is a multidisciplinary look at the potential causes and effects of autism. It's a long term project which is linked to other studies across Europe.

Doctors and scientists aren't worried about losing cash in the short term, but falling behind in the knowledge race in the long term, especially as Britain has sought to place itself as a central base for the new industrial technologies.

The other fear is losing the brains which have been drawn to British research, people who now fear they will need to move to other institutions to keep up with the cash and the research.

Lead scientist at King's College Professor Declan Murphy warned: "Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre from one country."

The EU's Horizon 2020 budget is 80-billion Euro which funds medicine and science research across Europe.

Britain's split from the EU will leave a funding gap as well as a brain drain, according to Murphy. He argues it will be the children with autism like Van Velzen who will lose out.

As an island nation, boat building and sales have been important to the UK.

The industry fears rough waters may be ahead for Britain's luxury yacht industry, but right now it's riding on a wave caused by the plunge in the pound's value.

Phil Popham, the CEO of Sunseeker International was cautious: "We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

Others like Russell Currie, the Managing Director of Fairline Yachts, says he already had cause to worry: "We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market."

British Marine's chief executive Howard Pridding tried to show more confidence in the course ahead: "Obviously, industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic."

An estimated 1.2 million Britons live in other EU countries, mostly France, Portugal and Spain according to Britain's House of Commons library.

But that's a conservative figure because many expats don't bother registering with their embassies or the local authorities.

At Mijas on Spain's Costa del Sol, many Brits don't want to return to Blighty.

Used to the sun, sea and cafe society, some British residents are so concerned that their lives on the Costas are threatened, that after many years they're finally learning to speak Spanish.

According to Mijas' Mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado: "When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

Local traders are also keen to keep the British on the Costa.

Many are retired and spend their pensions here.

Bar owner Sergio Morales says: "Most of our clients here, around 80% of them, are British."

A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over British expats in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

And it's possible a string of similar nationality schools for expats may spring up.

Not everyone was bemoaning the onset of Brexit.

The art and antique market experienced a mini boom according to London dealers at this winter fair.

The weak pound against the dollar and Euro has seen American collectors in particular start to snap up bargains with savings of beween 25 and 30 per cent compared with six months ago.

Art dealers are reporting a similar trend.

They say investors see the arts market as a safe refuge in uncertain times.

As Christmas approaches the toy industry is bracing itself and Santa is wondering whether he'll have much to be jolly about.

It's the time of year when manufacturers and retailers count on making their biggest cash bonus of the year.

According to industry analyst Frederique Tutt: "Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

That's because toy retailers buy stock almost a year in advance and can keep prices stable, but the toy dealers here admit next year the stockings left out for Father Chrismas may have shrunk considerably.

There's nothing as Christmassy as a Christmas tree, but in Denmark the outlook for tree producers isn't quite so evergreen.

According to the Danish Christmas Tree Association, the small Scandinavian country grows around 11.5 million trees a year.

About 9.5 million of those are exported.

But these are challenging times and currency fluctuations are having an effect on trade.

Speaking about his members, Claus Jerram Christensen of the Danish Christmas Tree Association says: "They have experienced that the low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

The true impact of Brexit on Britain and Europe as a whole is still to an extent unknown.

The UK government had announced it was to trigger Article 50 next March to start negotiations to leave EU.

But since then, Brexit has twice been contested in the High Court.

One ruling has already stated Britain's law makers should be allowed a vote in Parliament beforehand.

Breaking up, it seems, really is hard to do.

AP Television

London, UK - 22 February 2016

1. Wide of UK Houses of Parliament as London bus passes

2. Close of clock face at the top of Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben

AP Television

London, UK - 16 June 2016

3. Wide of Big Ben as seen from Buckingham Palace

4. Wide of Buckingham Palace

POOL

London, UK - 3 June 2012

5. Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip (centre), Charles (left) and Camilla (right) on royal barge during Diamond Jubilee celebrations

6. Mid of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry on royal barge

7. Pull out of royal barge sailing down River Thames during Diamond Jubilee celebrations

AP Television

London, UK - 11 June, 2016

8. Mid of Queen Elizabeth II in carriage during the Trooping of the Colour for her 90th birthday celebrations

9. Wide of Guardsmen in ceremonial marching during the celebrations

AP Television

London, UK - 1960s

++BLACK AND WHITE FOOTAGE / MUTE++

++4:3++

10. Close tilt down of man putting shirt in carrier bag

11. Wide of man by scooters

UNIVERSAL ARCHIVES

London, UK - 31 October 1963

++BLACK AND WHITE FOOTAGE / MUTE++

++4:3++

12. Various of Beatles getting off plane in London

AP Television

London, UK - 7 June 2016

++16:9++

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Johnston, Fashion Director, GQ Magazine UK

"You also think street scene, you think east London, you think hipsters, you think the most vibrant street fashion possibly in the world."

AP Television

London, UK - 3 July 2012

14. Punk and goth street fashion in Camden

AP Television

London, UK - 16 June, 2016

15. Hipster in Brick Lane cafe

16. Pull focus of street sign reading: (English) "Brick Lane E1"

17. Various of curry houses on Brick Lane

AP Television

Margate, UK - 8 June 2016

18. Various of Margate beach and people relaxing in sunshine

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Iain Aitch, Author:

"Everyone might say a Sunday roast or fish and chips, that's a quintessentially British meal, but then suddenly everyone says it's chicken tikka masala."

20. Various of takeaway fish and chips being served

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, April 30, 1973 (MUTE)

++4:3++

21. Red buses on a London street

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, September 24, 1973 (MUTE)

++4:3++

22. Tilt down of Ford workers walking out of various plants

23. Wide of Ford cars on a train

24. Various men take part in industrial action at Ford plant

AP Television

United Kingdom, February 10, 1974 - no exact location available

++4:3++

25. Various of non functioning coal mines during national coal strike

AP Television

London, United Kingdom, June 3, 1975 (MUTE)

++4:3++

26. Mid of Margaret Thatcher wearing a flags-of-Europe sweater, flanked by women also wearing pro-Europe sweaters

AP Television

Maastricht, Netherlands - 7 June 2016

++16:9++

27. Clocktower of Maastricht town hall with EU, Limburg and Maastricht flags

28. Wide of streets in the town

AP Television

London, UK - 7 July 2016

29. Various of autistic teenager Rens Van Velzen completing other puzzles with black and yellow blocks against the clock

30. Close tilt down of the psychologist on the autism study at Kings College London timing Rens Van Velzen during test

31. Close of Van Velzen

32. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Declan Murphy lead scientist, EU Aims study on autism, Kings College London:

"Big questions need big populations to come up with the right answers, and we simply cannot deliver the amount of patients for the amount of science from one centre or from one country."

33. Various of Van Velzen being tested in eye tracking unit at Kings College London

AP Television

Southampton, UK - 16 September 2016

34. Wide of Southampton Boat Show 2016, cruise ship in background

35. Tilt down to pontoon, boats and visitors

36. Close of 'Sunseeker' flag

37. Various of Sunseeker 95 Yacht exterior

38. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Popham, CEO of Sunseeker International:

"We've benefited because of the weakness of the pound, but its all about business confidence."

39. Various of Fairline yacht

40. SOUNDBITE (English) Russell Currie, Managing Director of Fairline Yachts:

"We've had an overnight decrease in the price of our boats in areas such as the European market

41. Zoom out from cruise ship docked near boat show

42. SOUNDBITE (English) Howard Pridding, Chief Executive of British Marine:

"Industry and business need stability and the time it will take to exit from the European Union will be problematic"

AP Television

Mijas, Malaga - October 6, 2016

43. Wide of coastal area of Mijas

44. Pan of typical apartments in the area and people walking by the sea side

45. Various of British pensioners taking Spanish classes in the Parnell School

46. Various of Juan Mayor Carlos Maldonado in his office

47. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Carlos Maldonado, Mayor of Mijas:

"When the results of the Brexit (referendum) were known, a big uncertainty was created."

48. Various of family walking near beach

49. Pan from people walking up steps from the beach to the owner of Royal Beach cafe talking

50. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Sergio Morales, co-owner of Royal Beach bar in Mijas:

"Most of our clients here, around 80% of them, are British."

AP Television

London, UK - 1 November 2016

51. Pull focus of bronze Japanese archer

52. Mid of men admiring antique chandelier

53. Art dealer Tanya Baxter showing painting to visitor

54. Close tilt down of painting 'Paper Bride in Waiting' by Zeng Chuanxing (price £120,000/ USD 147,000)

55. Wide of antique clock stand

AP Television

London, UK - 9 November 2016

56. Mid of Tiana Wilson with Santa who is holding a Hatchimal waiting for the toy to hatch

57. Wide of girl playing with toy on chair

58. Mid zoom in to boys playing with Bluetooth Furbys

59. Low mid view of caterpillar going past boys and Furbys

60. SOUNDBITE (English) Frederique Tutt, toy industry analyst, NPD:

"Since the Brexit vote the toy market has been faring really well with an increase of three percent."

AP Television

Lundby, Denmark - 22 November 2016

61. Mid tilt up of Christmas tree plantation

62. Wide of plantation through tops of trees

AP Television

Copenhagen, Denmark - 21 November 2016

63. SOUNDBITE (English) Claus Jerram Christensen, Managing Director of the Danish Christmas Tree Association:

"The low exchange rate for the sterling pound makes it more difficult to achieve the same prices."

64. Mid of large container truck filled with trees pulling out of yard stacked with trees

65. Pan across field of Christmas tree saplings for 2018 and beyond

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 independence of Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom is not on the ballot, but it's uppermost on the minds of many voters there as they make their final choices ahead of the national election next week.

The North East Fife district was the tightest in the United Kingdom's last general election - only two votes meant victory for the Scottish Nationalists and defeat for the Liberal Democrats in 2017 - and the foes are grappling again, united by their rejection of Brexit but divided over whether Scotland should vote, again, on its own independence.

The Scottish Nationalists say yes, that Brexit is so dire it merits another vote on whether Scotland should forge its own way as an independent nation, while the Liberals Democrats remain committed to remaining inside the UK, even if Britain extricates itself from the European Union as envisioned on January 31.

Retired boxer Chris Honess has no doubt where he stands - he's going to vote against the Scottish Nationalists with the hope of quelling talk of another independence referendum.

He thinks the whole structure of European defence would be threatened if Scotland breaks away.

"I am 100 percent against the breakup of the United Kingdom," said Honess, 69.

"I think we're very good at complaining, actually the UK works very, very well. If the SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party) were to succeed in breaking up the United Kingdom that would definitely weaken NATO and I'm a huge supporter of NATO."

Scottish voters are fairly split on the question, but it's clear that independence - which would send shock waves throughout the rest of the UK - is a hidden factor in the December 12 vote.

If no party gets an outright majority in the vote, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon had made clear that any party looking for SNP backing in a coalition government will have to agree to agree to authorize Scotland to hold another independence referendum - and to accept the referendum.

John Curtice, a professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said the debate over independence and Brexit are now closely "interlaced" in Scotland, which voted against Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

He said the results in North East Fife and many Scottish districts are extremely hard to predict.

"When you're talking about Brexit, you're also tending to talk about independence," he said.

"And when you're talking about independence, you're also talking about Brexit."

Ask voters in the area about their choices and they're likely to transition seamlessly from talking about which candidate they want to send to Parliament to discussing whether or not they want another bite at independence, which voters rejected in 2014.

That was two years before the Brexit referendum upended the political landscape with its difficult-to-execute mandate of taking Britain out of the EU.

Scotland voted against Brexit by a wide margin, preferring instead to keep ties to the EU, and it was the only one of the four parts the make up the UK in which every single district voted against Brexit.

It's fair to say Scotland is being dragged into Brexit against its will, and this reality has spawned fresh talk of secession.

It's not just in Scotland - an economic player in its own right, blessed with ample energy resources, natural beauty, and a rich tradition of self-sufficiency - that Brexit is fraying UK ties that bind.

Rarely has an election been so fraught with implications for the future of the United Kingdom, a structure often taken for granted because of its familiar symbols - the queen who has reigned for more than six decades, the Parliament that is centuries old - but it's actually vulnerable as it engineers a radical change in its relations with the rest of Europe.

Heavily tattooed hairstylist Craig Boyd, who runs a small salon, said he's backing the Scottish Nationalists next week with hopes of getting a chance to vote on independence again.

He said that's far more important to him than the Brexit issue.

"I voted for independence the first time around and I'll vote for it the second time around," he said.

"Whether that is under remaining in the (European) single market and the union, who knows? But either way I'd like to see independence for Scotland."

Johnnie Balfour, whose family has operated Balbirnie Farm since 1642, is tired of all the back and forth over independence.

He remembers that voters were told ahead of the 2014 vote that this was a "once in a generation" decision - he doesn't want to revisit it just five years later.

Leven - 23 November 2019

1. Wide of Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon arriving to cheers of SNP campaigners and supporters, SNP candidate for North East Fife, Stephen Gethins shield's the party's leader against the rain with a yellow SNP umbrella

2. Wide of Sturgeon meeting supporters

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish National Party leader:

"My message to people in Scotland is that independence is the best future because it gives us the opportunity to decide for ourselves the kind of country we want to be. But, whether you support independence or oppose it or aren't decided yet, the principle of deciding our future ourselves in Scotland rather than having (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson dictate it is one that I think we can all unite behind."

4. Various of Nicola Sturgeon and Stephen Gethins, SNP candidate for North East Fife, posing for photos together

5. Wide of Gethins meeting SNP supporters

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Gethins, SNP candidate for North East Fife:

"It is the biggest united remain party in the UK even though we're the Scottish National Party. And I've worked cross party with colleagues from all parties. I was one of the co-authors of the Benn Act that stopped no deal. So, people in north east Fife want somebody who can back to work the day after the election, who has a strong track record of standing up for north east Fife and its willingness to remain in the EU. Then they'll be voting for me and I know a lot of people who are maybe not pro-independence but will be voting SNP at this election."

7. Wide of Craig Boyd Hairdressing in the Leven town centre

8. Wide of Leven's high street showing various "to let" signs

9. Close of a "to let" sign

10. Medium of a homeless person wrapped up in a sleeping bag in the Leven town centre

11. Various of Craig Boyd, owner of Craig Boyd Hairdressing, cutting a woman's hair

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Craig Boyd, owner of Craig Boyd Hairdressing:

"I was for independence the first time around, I am for it the second time around, whether that is going to be us remaining in the single market and the union (European Union), who knows, but either way I would like to see independence for Scotland."

13. Medium of Craig Boyd cutting a woman's hair

14. Various of hairdresser Kirsty Newlands cutting a man's hair

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsty Newlands, hairdresser:

"I want Scottish independence, I want us to be to control what goes on in our country and not be dictated to by Westminster at all."

St Andrews - 3 December 2019

16. Wide of Wendy Chamberlain sign on a house

17. Close of Scottish Liberal Democrats sign behind among plants in a front garden

18. Close of a Scottish Liberal Democrats Wendy Chamberlain pamphlet

19. Close of pamphlet reading: "There are only 2 votes in it in North East Fife. Only Lib Dems can win from the SNP here."

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Wendy Chamberlain, North East Fife Liberal Democrats candidate:

"Brexit is a 40-year union with the European Union and we have seen how difficult in the last three and a half years it is to untangle that and potentially deliver it. So, when we are talking about a union that is over 300 years old - how difficult will that be? And I think it is a very different proposition from that presented in 2014, because we are for the first time talking about potentially a hard border between Scotland and England and that was never on the cards previously, so we think it is a very different proposition and is the kind of conversations that we are having."

21. Wide of Chamberlain and Liberal Democrats candidate for the Scottish Parliament Willie Rennie talking to a shop assistant while looking at gloves

22. Various of Chamberlain looking at gift card in a shop

23. Close of Scottish flag

24. Wide tilt down of flag on building in St Andrews town centre to street

25. Various of the University of St Andrews

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Chandrika Kaul, Reader in Modern History at the University St Andrews:

"I am not going to be voting the way I voted the last time around. I am going to change my vote this time around. I am going to be voting for a party that is not looking to get a mandate to get Scotland out the United Kingdom and I am also totally against Brexit. So, the party for me would be the Lib Dems."

27. Various of "The Scottish Shop, Kiltmakers" in St Andrews

28. Wide of Chris Honess, a retired boxer talking to a man

29. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Honess, a retired boxer:

"I am a hundred percent against the break up of the United Kingdom. I think we're very good at complaining, actually the UK works very, very well. If the SNP was to succeed in breaking up the United Kingdom that would definitely weaken NATO and I'm a huge supporter of NATO."

Balbirnie Farm, Cupar - 3 December 2019

30. Various of cattle eating kale

31. Wide of Johnnie Balfour, managing director of Balbirnie Farm, walking through fielding pushing cattle feeding equipment

32. Medium of Johnnie Balfour cutting a bale of hay

33. Close of of Johnnie Balfour cutting a bale of hay

34. SOUNDBITE (English) Johnnie Balfour, Managing Director of Balbirnie Farm:

"What I want to see is a good local MP who is standing up for rural issues and yes I would find it difficult to vote for somebody who was standing up for...campaigning on a ticket of wanting another referendum (on Scottish independence)."

35. Various of a carrot harvester pulling up carrots

Edinburgh - 4 December 2019

36. Various of Professor John Curtice, Professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde typing on his laptop

37. SOUNDBITE (English) John Curtice, Professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde:

"The honest truth is that North East Fife has to be regarded as one of the more unpredictable constituencies in Scotland and there are plenty of unpredictable constituencies in Scotland. Scotland is full of marginal seats and of course North East Fife is quintessentially the marginal seat, because of the Liberal Democrats being very close."

St Andrews- 3 December 2019

38. Wide of street sign in St Andrews

39. Close of street sign in St Andrews

40. Tilt down of entrance to the University of St Andrews

Edinburgh, United Kingdom - 4 December 2019

41. SOUNDBITE (English) John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde:

"Well, I mean the truth is of course that independence is playing a part of the crucial debate more broadly and I think what one now has to understand is that that debate is now interlaced with the debate about Brexit. So, one of the things that has happened in Scotland really since 2016 is that people's views about Brexit and their views about independence have become much more in line. So around 57% of those people who voted remain (in the 2016 Brexit referendum) are now in favour of independence, whereas amongst those who voted leave, support is much lower it is only around a third."

St Andrews - 3 December 2019

42. Close of Scottish flag

43. Tilt down of postcards of Scotland

44. Close of "Castle of Scotland" postcard

At Durham City Workmen's Club members are getting together to socialise and play cards, dominoes and snooker.

There's' a lot of banter and competition.

But one thing they seem to agree on is that Brexit needs to be done.

Even those that voted to remain now believe the negotiations have gone on too long and that it's important to follow the will of the people and leave the EU.

For those who voted to leave, they would support it even if it means going without a deal.

Working men's clubs were created in the 1800s in Britain's industrial areas to provide recreation and education for working class men.  

Here in Durham there's a still a tradition of them and many members are from Durham's surrounding villages that were once centred around coal mining.

The pits have all gone, many closed as a result of Margaret Thatcher's policies, and some villages have never recovered.

Many here feel abandoned by Westminster.

Retired builder Michael Wright, 68, said the Conservatives are "all for London and the south and they are forgetting about the northeast."

He said he mainly voted leave because of worries of uncontrolled immigration which he thought were reducing employment and housing for British people.

Bob Glasper, who also worked in the building industry as an engineer and construction worker, is prepared to leave without a deal: "I think it will be bad for us", he said, but thought despite the impact and the years it might take for Britain to recover, it would eventually get back on its feet.

Not all in this area voted leave in the referendum.

But the protracted negotiations and the inability for Parliament to get a deal have hardened views.

Stephen Anderson, a retired working men's club steward, is now all for leaving and said even people who voted to remain would now vote leave if given a chance but agreed a new referendum would not solve any problems.

John Guarnaccio, a retired hairdresser and more recently a carer, is impressed with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's tough stance with Europe.

'He's really impressing me with his stance because Europe aren't going to give, if they do it's only going to be that much, and he's saying on 31st of October we're out."

Durham, with its spectacular cathedral and castle, is an international tourist attraction and a famous university town.

It's relatively wealthy compared with some of the surrounding industrial towns.  

Although County Durham voted to leave by 57 per cent it wasn't as big a majority as many other cities in the northeast.

In the city's marketplace opinions are split on Europe.

But whatever their view many feel more passionate about it than they did 3 years ago.

Wendy and her mother Sandra are adamant that they want to get out of the EU as soon as possible even if it is detrimental to the economy.

But others like Geoff Rigden, a retired teacher, fear the economic consequences.

"If we don't have those markets available to us, the same way they are at the moment, then I think this area will suffer more than most."  

Cafe owner Mark Goff agrees.

He's desperately hoping opposition MPs will force Johnson to get an EU extension to avoid leaving without a deal "because crashing out of Europe is stupidity."

Lawyer Neil Warwick specialises in EU law and is helping companies prepare for Brexit.

He believes the country is still so divided that a second referendum might not alter anything.

"There's also a hardening of attitude and people are now sick of it after 3 years," he said, adding "you are probably seeing people who were remain and were leave getting more entrenched."

With only 4 weeks to go before the UK is due to leave the EU people are as far apart as ever and there's little sign of compromise between the two sides.

Johnson will send what he says is the U.K.'s "final offer" for a Brexit deal to the European Union on Wednesday, as the date for Britain's departure from the bloc looms in less than a month.

Durham - 29/30 September 2019

1. Various of men drinking at Durham City Workmen's Club

2. Men playing cards

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Wright, 68, retired builder:

"I'm quite happy to come out without a deal and I think most people in the northeast want to come out without a deal. I think the Conservatives are all for London down the south and I think they are forgetting about the northeast."

4. Bob Glasper, retired, formerly in the engineering and builder, drinking with friends.

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Bob Glasper, retired, formerly in the engineering and building trade:

"Should have been a deal struck long before now. I personally think (David) Cameron (Prime Minister who called the referendum) should have been made to stop and sort all this out. He pressed the referendum up, and he should have been made to sort it out, and he did a runner. (Former UK Prime Minister) Theresa May made a hash of everything and this man - I don't think (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson is any better, actually."

6. Cutaway of the bar

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Bob Glasper, retired, formerly in the engineering and building trade:

"I think it will be bad for us but it's like everything else we'll get over it. We'll have to take a few years but we'll get over it, we'll survive, we always have done."

8. Stephen Anderson, a retired club steward playing dominoes

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Anderson, a retired club steward:

"I've talked to a lot of people and there's a lot of people that voted Remain that would vote to come out in the next election, so I think it's still obviously split 50:50. I mean if you had another referendum it might go the other way 49:51 but that's not going to solve any problems."

10. John Guarnaccio, retired hairdresser and then carer, playing snooker

11. SOUNDBITE (English) John Guarnaccio, retired hairdresser and then carer:

"Before I was against him (Johnson) I wasn't impressed with him. I felt he, in some ways, he stabbed Theresa May in the back but now I'm becoming really, he's like impressing me with his stance because Europe aren't going to alter (their position), they're not going to... if they do it's only going to be that much. And he's saying righto, on 31st of October we're out."

12. Various of views of Durham Cathedral and river

13. People walking over bridge

14. People in Market Place

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Wendy Nelson, Durham resident, leave voter:

"I did vote to leave. That's what I wanted. I wish it had been pushed through by now. I am offended every time that I hear that I didn't know what I was voting for because I very much did know what I was voting for and I wish it was pushed through by now."

16. Cutaway

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Nelson, Durham resident and leave voter:

"We voted for it so why are they messing around, get on with it and go. And yes there's going to be problems but in the long run I think Britain will be great again."

18. Set up of Geoff Rigden, retired teacher

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Geoff Rigden, retired teacher, remain supporter:

"I think it will affect the northeast very deeply. We rely so much on exports and manufacturing. If we don't have those markets available to us in the same way they are at the moment, then I think this area will suffer more than most."

20. Set up of Mark Goff, who runs a cafe in Durham

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Goff, runs a cafe in Durham, remain supporter:

"In terms of no deal the thing I like more than most is that Boris Johnson has said that he will die in a ditch. I look forward to him dying in a ditch on the 1st of November and I look forward to the opposition getting together and forcing him to go to Europe and to ask for an extension because crashing out of Europe is stupidity."

22. Set up of Neil Warwick, lawyer specialising in EU law and Brexit, Square One Law

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Neil Warwick, lawyer specialising in EU law and Brexit, Square One Law:

"The underlying problems we have in this region, you know cuts in the 70s, austerity from the recession, have caused a feeling of frustration, that people don't listen to the northeast. We're not really that important to Westminster. So some of it is protest vote but some of it is people who want to take back sovereignty as well."

24. Cutaway

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Neil Warwick, lawyer specialising in EU law and Brexit, Square One Law:

"It's really hard to call which way it would go (a second referendum). There's younger people like my son who can now vote, older people who are perhaps not around, you know, but actually there's also a hardening of attitude that people are just sick of it after 3 years. So you are probably seeing people who were remain and leave getting more entrenched. So I don't think there's been a big swing like any of the polls predict."

26. Wide of Durham from the river

27. People walking over bridge

28. Durham Cathedral

British Prime Minister Theresa May criticised her former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for a newspaper column in which he described burqa-wearing women as "letter boxes" and "bank robbers".

Johnson, who quit the government last month in a dispute over Brexit, made the remarks in a Daily Telegraph article published on Monday.

"It is imperative that everybody is careful in the language that they use. It's very clear that the language Boris Johnon used to describe people's appearance, has caused offence. It's not language I would've used, I think it was wrong to have used that language," she said.

In his article, Johnson said he opposed banning burqas and other face-covering garments, but wrote that it was "absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes."

His article drew criticism from Muslim groups and fellow politicians - including some Conservatives.

The Conservative Party's chairman, Brandon Lewis, has asked for Johnson to publicly apologise for the comments he made.

Latin-spouting, tousle-headed Johnson is a former mayor of London and one of Britain's best-known politicians.

He resigned as foreign secretary in July, accusing Prime Minister Theresa May of killing "the Brexit dream" with her plan to seek close economic ties with the European Union after the UK leaves the bloc next year.

The resignation solidified Johnson's position as a leader of the pro-Brexit wing of the Conservative Party, which is deeply divided over its attitude to the EU.

Many expect May to face a leadership challenge if faltering Brexit negotiations don't improve - and Johnson is likely to be a contender to replace her.

Some suspected Johnson's burqa comments were intended to boost his appeal among right-wing members of the party.

Sayeeda Warsi, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, said Johnson was using Muslim women as a "convenient political football to try and increase his poll ratings."

"These were offensive comments but clever politics," she said. "Boris knew the effect and the impact that this kind of dog-whistle politics would have."

Several European countries, including France, Belgium and Denmark, have banned face-covering veils in public, but none of Britain's main political parties supports such a restriction.

++NO CUTAWAYS AVAILABLE++

UK POOL

Edinburgh - 7 August 2018

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

"First of all, I believe, and the government believes that the question of how a woman should dress is matter for a woman's individual choice. Nobody should tell a woman how to dress. As we discuss these issues, and openly discuss these issues, it's imperative that everybody is careful in the language that they use. It's very clear that the language Boris Johnon used to describe people's appearance, has caused offence. It's not language I would've used, I think it was wrong to have used that language and I agree with Brandon Lewis."

In late October, Matthew Jones was enjoying a rare "bit of normality" at his London barber shop in a year that has been short on that.

He was cutting hair and laughing with colleagues — when the news that the business would have to close for the second time landed.

Jones, 43, endured 15 weeks without any income after the three Sharpes barber shops he co-owns were forced to shut in the spring as the government imposed restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The shops, including a tiny one in east London's Hackney neighborhood, had been open for four months when Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a new lockdown.

"This second lockdown has been tough because you are just building up your business again trying to get back to a normal lifestyle and then all of a sudden it is all taken away and you know we still have high rents to pay here," Jones said.

The United Kingdom saw a sharp resurgence of COVID-19 infections this autumn, and the government imposed a second round of restrictions.

The suffering caused by the virus has been especially acute in the UK, where more than 57,000 people have died in Europe's deadliest outbreak and the economy has plunged.

While small businesses all over the world are struggling as the virus forces many of them to close, many in the UK are also facing the economic uncertainty caused by Britain's exit from the European Union.

Many British businesses managed to survive the spring lockdown with generous aid from the government, including grants like the £10,000 ($13,300) grant Jones received and a program that pays a portion of wages to workers whose employers are struggling.

The measures have helped keep the unemployment rate relatively low at 4.8% — though it has been rising and is forecast to hit 7.5% next spring.

The latest round of restrictions could pack a bigger punch in the crucial weeks ahead of Christmas.

Even before the second lockdown was announced, a survey conducted by Britain's Office for National Statistics showed that one in seven UK companies reported having "little or no confidence" they would survive the next three months.

Jones estimates that the pandemic wiped out 60% of his income this year.

With his shops closed, the single dad, who has a 10-year-old daughter, is doing odd jobs on building sites — and praying that business will return enough to ease the pain once restrictions lift on December 2.

The five other barbers who work in his shops are self-employed, and trying to scrape by as well.

Hackney, where one of Jones' shops is based has seen steady gentrification in the past two decades.

Located in London's historically gritty East End, the borough is filled with trendy bars and expensive apartments.

Broadway Market itself is lined with some 60 small shops, cafes and restaurants, and before COVID-19 hit, the street would throng with locals and tourists coming for the hugely popular weekend market.

These days, some shops are doing better than others, but everyone is scrambling to adapt.

Jane Howe, who has run Broadway Bookshop since 2005, said the weekends would often get so busy that her shop would take in thousands of pounds in sales per day on the back of £7.99 books.  

For a shop that relies heavily on foot traffic, the cycles of coronavirus restrictions have been hard.

In June, Howe launched a website for the first time, but she says it does not replicate shopping in person where you might buy more than you intend.

Even once her doors reopened, the tiny space meant she couldn't welcome back her usual crowds.

Sales from the website don't come close to making up for the in-person sales she's lost — especially during the crucial Christmas period.

"It's very difficult to be open because we are only allowed five people in at a time," Howe said.

With the shop pulling in just over half what it used to, Howe has stopped paying herself and when one of her two employees left, she was not able to replace her.

Like Jones, she's managed to keep paying the rent thanks to a government grant.

She has also taken out a £50,000 state loan.  

Others haven't fared as well.

A much-loved bakery next to Sharpes that was part of a 66-year-old family-run chain closed for good, Jones said.

The bakery's closure stands in contrast to a trend seen on much of the street where butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers and delis have done relatively well thanks to a surge in interest from fairly affluent locals who are now working from home and shopping locally.

Popular coffee shop Climpsons struggled to adapt at first — the cafe was shut, the wholesale business almost completely wiped out, and 34 of the company's 42 workers went on the government furlough scheme in the first weeks of the pandemic, co-owner Danny Davies said.

But now on weekdays, Climpsons often serves more take-away coffees than before the pandemic.

That makes up for losses on the wholesale side, which supplied restaurants and offices.  

"It's not great for business. We're worried about some of our customers, they're struggling. I think we ourselves have managed to weather the storm thanks to some of the resources (government grants) available," Davies said.

Down the street, Grigorios Vaitsas says business at his deli, Isle of Olive, has not been too bad, even though he has closed his small indoor cafe and Christmas shopping events have been canceled.

But Vaitsas and his partner, Paulina, who import their products from Greece, have been losing sleep over another threat: Brexit.

The couple are worried about the tariffs and bureaucracy if Britain leaves the economic embrace of the EU at the end of the year with no deal in place.

That combined with the pandemic makes a "perfect storm," Vaitsas said.  

"If the tariffs and the logistics and all of that, you know, get the prices so high that our items are now considered luxury goods, then it really changes completely our business model and what we were planning to do," Vaitas said.

London - 17 November 2020

1. Wide of people on Broadway Market

2. Road sign for Broadway Market

3. People walking on Broadway Market

4. Exterior of Sharpes Barbers with owner Matthew Jones putting up Christmas lights in the window

5. Close of 'Sharpes' sign

6. Various of Jones cleaning chair inside barber shop

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Matthew Jones, co-owner of three barber shops including Sharpes:

"This second lockdown has been tough because you are just building up your business again trying to get back to a normal lifestyle and then all of a sudden it is all taken away and you know we still have high rents to pay here. So yeah it's been really tough."

8. Jane Howe, owner of Broadway Bookshop, walking into shop

9. Cutaway of books in window

10. Howe changing book display in the window

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jane Howe, owner of The Broadway Bookshop:

"People don't always come in knowing what they want. They see things on tables and they buy them, they just pick them up, like you don't always stick to your shopping list you usually buy more than you intend and that happens more in person than it would online."

12. Cutaway of books in window

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jane Howe, owner of The Broadway Bookshop:

"It's very difficult to be open with only allowed five people in at a time and queues on the pavement and people taking a long time to buy their stuff instead of thinking about other people and hurrying up… you know."

14. Exterior of Climpson and Sons coffee shop with people queuing outside

15. Close of Climpson and Sons coffee shop and queue

16. Close of food in window

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Davies, Co-owner of Climpson and Sons coffee shop and wholesale coffee business:

"I mean it's not great for business. We're worried about some of our customers, they're struggling. I think we ourselves have managed to weather the storm thanks to some of the resources (government grants) available."

18. Food in window

19. Employee serving person at entrance

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Davies, Co-owner of Climpson and Sons coffee shop and wholesale coffee business.

"At one point in time it was really hard to see how it was going to go back to normal again but then the summer just gone we've seen pretty good sales figures. I think next year it will be similar with a bit more optimism with the vaccine."

21. Shop front of Isle of Olive deli, with Christmas decorations around it

22. Various of Paulina Filippou, co-owner of Isle of Olive dusting pastries with icing sugar

23. Pastries being put on shelf

24. Grigorios Vaitsas, co-owner of Isle of Olive, at till

25. Products for sale

26. SOUNDBITE: (English) Grigorios Vaitsas, co-owner of Isle of Olive deli:

"We hear and we see near us a lot of business shutting down, we know about rising unemployment so the coming of Brexit would just, or a no-deal Brexit rather, would just be like the perfect storm in terms of retail."

27. Various of Filippou dishing olives into pot

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Grigorios Vaitsas and Paulina Filippou, co-owners of Isle of Olive deli:

Vaitsas: "We wanted to, to, have items that they're not just a one-off purchase they become part of..."

Filippou: "Not luxury products, people have good food every day."

Vaitsas: "So, if the tariffs and the logistics and all of that, you know, get the prices so high that our items are now considered luxury goods, then it really changes completely our business model and what we were planning to do."

30. Bottles of olive oil on shelf

31. Wide of products on shelves