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

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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The UK woke to the news on Thursday that their Prime Minister's Brexit trade deal meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen ended without an agreement.

The EU said that both sides were still "far apart".

Each side has given their Brexit negotiators four more days to reach a deal.

On Thursday commuters in London reacted to the real possibility of a no deal.

Robert Stratford, 55, who manages a construction company, said: "It's going to be a disaster next year."

Stratford told The Associated Press that he anticipates delays in receiving materials his company ordered from Europe.

Asked if thought a deal was possible, he answered: "I think it is a complete mess to be honest."

Without a deal, the bloc and Britain face a tumultuous no-deal split at the end of the month, threatening hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in losses.

Britain left the EU on Jan. 31 but remains in its economic structures until the end of the year.

That means a serious economic rupture on Jan. 1 that could be chaotic if there is no trade agreement.

A no-deal split would bring tariffs and other barriers that would hurt both sides, although most economists think the British economy would take a greater hit because the UK does almost half of its trade with the bloc.

London - 10 December 2020

1. Various of Houses of Parliament at dawn

2. Various of London Eye with traffic and people passing

3. Various of newspaper kiosk

4. Mid of newspaper headlines on Brexit talks

5. Daily Mail reading (English): "Deadlock at Dinner"

6. Daily Telegraph reading (English): "Four days to save trade deal after talks go badly"

7. The Guardian reading (English): "PM and EU agree Sunday deadline to avoid no deal"

8. Wide of newspapers

9. The Times reading (English): "PM refuses to back down in face of Brexit deadlock"

10. Various of commuters

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Hadi Hajj, 36, estate agent:

"Of course, I'm hoping for a deal, but it's been years now, we're in the same scenario ever since our old prime minister went out the door and now Boris took over. Well, there's no deal now. And the more delays and more delays with the amount of businesses affected, we are getting nowhere. So we should be able to close the deal soon. And I really hope soon because it's a never ending circle and we're never going to get anywhere with this. Thank you so much."

12. Commuters

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Schembri, 43, business manager for health care company:

"I'm hoping that a Brexit deal is probably not done. I'd rather that we came out with no deal. I think we're better at being self-sufficient. And I think we can move forward very well on our own."

14. Commuters

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Stratford, 55, manages construction company:

"It's going to be a disaster next year. From our, from our construction site we've been told that we're going to get delays in materials coming in from Europe, a lot of our timber and stuff that we've got orders for next year, we've been told there's blockades and it's just going to take a lot longer to come in. I didn't agree with it in the first place, so I honestly don't know. It's I think it's a complete mess, to be honest. "

16. Commuters walking past news stand

It's been 25 years since the Penallta Colliery fell silent: the river once black with soot is now green and nature has taken back its place in this valley in South Wales.

Eddie Cullen grew-up here in a family of miners and remembers the decline of the town and the sorrow at seeing the heart of his community torn away.

"Everyone was frightened when the pit shut," he says.

With dire poverty and high unemployment rates, South Wales has benefited from generous grants and financing schemes from the European Union to rejuvenate the area's economy.

Yet on 23 June - the day of the UK referendum - the region voted massively to leave the EU.

The modern highway connecting Brynmawr with other former coal-mining towns in the Valleys region of South Wales was partly funded by the European Union, replacing a three-lane road known for its many deadly accidents.

In Abbw Vale, where 62 percent voted out, EU funds have also been used to improve railway lines, open museums, schools and training centres built where the steel works once stood.

Paul Thomas, who voted 'remain', worries Brexit could jeopardise these achievements.

"There was going to be more development but we don't know what's going to happen now," he says.

But back in the old city centre retired truck driver John Thompson doesn't agree, saying that "there's been no benefit to this area at all"

"Leave" campaigners say many of the EU projects are gimmicky and haven't led to any tangible improvements for people.

Also, they consider the EU money as British money to begin with, since overall Britain contributes more money than it gets back from the EU.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, was one politician to go against the party's UK leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, and vote for Britain to quit the EU

Davies used the metaphor of an out-of-control car to describe the EU, saying that people used the referendum to effectively say "I want to get out, the way this car is driven, we're going to hit a brick wall."

But for one Welsh company, Brexit was the brick wall.

In Pontypridd, a town climbing up misty hillsides north of Cardiff, Jenny Hughes said her education consultancy firm lost three potential contracts the day after the referendum as European partners pulled out.

Even though Wales receives hundreds of millions of pounds annually in EU funding, more than half of the Welsh electorate voted for Britain to leave the EU.

Puzzling many analysts, the "leave" vote was strongest in deprived post-industrial areas that have arguably benefited the most from EU support.

"Wales might have shot itself in the foot," says Ed Poole, lecturer in politics at Cardiff University, explaining that Wales has been one of the biggest net beneficiaries of being in the European Union.

A study he co-authored before the vote estimated that Wales receives a net annual benefit of 245 million (British) pounds (327 million US dollars) from the EU budget, or about 79 pounds (105 US dollars) per head.

That compares with a net contribution of 151 pounds (201 US dollars) per head for all of the United Kingdom.

It's possible, Poole says, that some voters didn't fully understand the role of EU funds in supporting their communities - or chose to ignore it.

It's been 25 years since the Penallta Colliery fell silent: the river once black with soot is now green and nature has taken back its place in this valley in South Wales.

Eddie Cullen grew-up here in a family of miners and remembers the decline of the town and the sorrow at seeing the heart of his community torn away.

"Everyone was frightened when the pit shut," he says.

With dire poverty and high unemployment rates, South Wales has benefited from generous grants and financing schemes from the European Union to rejuvenate the area's economy.

Yet on 23 June - the day of the UK referendum - the region voted massively to leave the EU.

The modern highway connecting Brynmawr with other former coal-mining towns in the Valleys region of South Wales was partly funded by the European Union, replacing a three-lane road known for its many deadly accidents.

In Abbw Vale, where 62 percent voted out, EU funds have also been used to improve railway lines, open museums, schools and training centres built where the steel works once stood.

Paul Thomas, who voted 'remain', worries Brexit could jeopardise these achievements.

"There was going to be more development but we don't know what's going to happen now," he says.

But back in the old city centre retired truck driver John Thompson doesn't agree, saying that "there's been no benefit to this area at all"

"Leave" campaigners say many of the EU projects are gimmicky and haven't led to any tangible improvements for people.

Also, they consider the EU money as British money to begin with, since overall Britain contributes more money than it gets back from the EU.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, was one politician to go against the party's UK leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, and vote for Britain to quit the EU

Davies used the metaphor of an out-of-control car to describe the EU, saying that people used the referendum to effectively say "I want to get out, the way this car is driven, we're going to hit a brick wall."

But for one Welsh company, Brexit was the brick wall.

In Pontypridd, a town climbing up misty hillsides north of Cardiff, Jenny Hughes said her education consultancy firm lost three potential contracts the day after the referendum as European partners pulled out.

Even though Wales receives hundreds of millions of pounds annually in EU funding, more than half of the Welsh electorate voted for Britain to leave the EU.

Puzzling many analysts, the "leave" vote was strongest in deprived post-industrial areas that have arguably benefited the most from EU support.

"Wales might have shot itself in the foot," says Ed Poole, lecturer in politics at Cardiff University, explaining that Wales has been one of the biggest net beneficiaries of being in the European Union.

A study he co-authored before the vote estimated that Wales receives a net annual benefit of 245 million (British) pounds (327 million US dollars) from the EU budget, or about 79 pounds (105 US dollars) per head.

That compares with a net contribution of 151 pounds (201 US dollars) per head for all of the United Kingdom.

It's possible, Poole says, that some voters didn't fully understand the role of EU funds in supporting their communities - or chose to ignore it.

Hengoad - 29 June 2016

1. Various of abandoned coal mine

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, excavator driver:

"At first, everybody was frightened when the pit (coal mine) shut, but life has got to go on and we've still done well. There has been a lot of unemployment in Wales, but we've just got to travel further for the work, like me."

3. Cutaway of dog

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, excavator driver:

"Everybody has just had enough, you know. They want their identity back as a country, you know, rather than being run by people from outside the country."

5. Grafiti on abandoned coal mine reading (English) "Don't steal our heritage."

6. Various of abandoned coal mine

Near Brynmawr - 30 June 2016

7. Various of road sign indicating EU financing for the motorway

8. Traffic on motorway

Abbw Vale - 30 June 2016

9. Tilt down on piece of machinery from the old steel works that previously occupied site

10. Various of new college partially financed by the EU

11. Various of new recreational centre partially financed by the EU

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Thomas, occupational therapist:

"My dad worked at the steelworks. He used to come home and tell us when we were kids that he'd have to use a push bike to go from one end of the factory to the other end of the factory. Sadly it's gone now, but with the EU funding we've got the leisure centre now, we've got the college, we've got the school, we've got the hospital. There was going to be more development here, but we don't know what's going to happen now."

Near Brynmawr - 30 June 2016

13. Various of the town

14. Street in centre of town with sign reading (English) "Vote Leave."

15. Close of Welsh flag

16. SOUNDBITE (English) John Thompson, retired truck driver:

"I would say no. We haven't seen no benefit to this area at all. They do leave us a road now as you know, you've seen the sign, the European sign on it, but what you've got to think about is: they don't give us nothing. It's our money, part of our money coming back to us. We've given them the money and they just send some back to us. They don't give us nothing really."

Cardiff - 29 June 2016

17. View over Cardiff Bay with National Theatre Wales in foreground

18. Close of sign reading (English and Welsh) "National Assembly for Wales."

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative leader:

"Well, it's British money in the first place. It goes out there, and we leave 50 percent of that money out there and 50 percent comes back. So that's the narrative here. We are all for embracing cooperation with other countries, we are all for working as allies in national security and self-defence, but there comes a point where self-determination has to come into this as well."

20. Various of Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative leader

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative leader:

"Very often, these schemes will seem to be managed by elites and ultimately not delivering for the communities that were supposed to benefit, and so people actually used the opportunity of the referendum to say 'whoa, stop the car, I want to get out, the way this car is driven, we're going to hit a brick wall."

Pontypridd - 29 June 2016

22. Various of Jenny Hughes, co-founder of Pontydysgu, a Welsh educational research institute, looking at the company website

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Jenny Hughes, co-founder of Pontydysgu:

"So, all of a sudden, we personally can't tender for anymore, but more particularly, our partners or consortia that we work with are saying now, 'well, actually we don't want to work with you' - they do want to work with us but they don't feel they can because they don't know what's going to happen."

24. Hughes at her desk

Cardiff - 29 June 2016

25. Various of Ed Poole, lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Cardiff University, at his desk

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Ed Poole, lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Cardiff University:

"I would say that unfortunately, in the long term, Wales might have shot itself in the foot on an economic basis."

27. Cutaway

28. SOUNDBITE (English) Ed Poole, lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Cardiff University:

"It's not just the structural funds that benefit the poorest areas in Wales - that's to the tune of about 400 million (British) pounds (534 million US dollars) per year. It's also the agricultural policy, which is very specifically supporting small scale businesses, which is Wales' specialism because of the topography of Wales. It's about 260 million (pounds, 347 million US dollars) per year, and it's also access to the single market."

Merthyr Tydfil - 30 June 2016

29. Various of open-pit mine and surrounding landscape

LEAD IN:

Red, pink, white, sparkling wines and a variety of other alcoholic beverages are quenching the thirsts of visitors to the Hong Kong Vinexpo.

Scotch whisky makers are still buoyant about business opportunities despite worries of Brexit (British exit from the European Union) causing a possible tax hike.

STORY-LINE:

It's a wine lover's paradise.

More than 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world are showcasing a wide range of wines and spirits to people looking for something of higher class in their glass.

The Chairman of Vinexpo, Xavier de Eizaguirre, says there is a slowdown in wine consumption in Europe and China. However he says while people are drinking less volume, they are buying more expensive bottles.

"It's really a trend, in Europe the main producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain have been consuming wines for generations. Today we see a change in terms of consumption habits. People drink less than in the past, but they drink better. So obviously that has an impact on the overall amount of wines consumed, but it's a very positive impact in terms of quality and also in terms of economics, because they drink more expensive wines than before," he says.

Scotch whisky sales remain strong and have a loyal following from consumers worldwide. But there are some concerns about sales if Britain leaves the European Union.

Scottish distillery Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited, who have almost 8 decades of experience, wants the United Kingdom to stay in Europe.

The company's chairman Euan Shand is concerned about possible tax increases and export regulations if the June 23rd vote decides the UK will leave.

Europe accounts for 40 percent of the company's market sale.

"If taxes go too high, people might not buy so much Scotch whisky, but I think deep down, Europeans have got a great palate for Scotch whisky and I can't really imagine that they're going to stop drinking it," says Shand.

This year is the 300th anniversary of Italian's famous Chianti Classico appellation. As the world's largest wine producer in 2015, Italy has harvested 49.5 million hectolitres of wine last year, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.

The Italian wine company Marchesi Antinori Srl which started making wine in 1385 has its wine farms in the Chianti region, making its signature Chianti Classico wines.

The company is now expanding into in Asia, concentrating on China.

The Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA, Albiera Antinori says: "Our major market is still Italy, with 35 percent (sales) followed by North America, then the rest of Europe. For us, at the moment, Asia (market) is still very small, it's about 6 percent of our production. I think China will need a little bit of time to get to know Italian wines, so we just need to come here more and have the wines tasted."

The Hong Kong Vinexpo runs 24-26 May 2016

LEAD IN:

Red, pink, white, sparkling wines and a variety of other alcoholic beverages are quenching the thirsts of visitors to the Hong Kong Vinexpo.

Scotch whisky makers are still buoyant about business opportunities despite worries of Brexit (British exit from the European Union) causing a possible tax hike.

STORY-LINE:

It's a wine lover's paradise.

More than 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world are showcasing a wide range of wines and spirits to people looking for something of higher class in their glass.

The Chairman of Vinexpo, Xavier de Eizaguirre, says there is a slowdown in wine consumption in Europe and China. However he says while people are drinking less volume, they are buying more expensive bottles.

"It's really a trend, in Europe the main producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain have been consuming wines for generations. Today we see a change in terms of consumption habits. People drink less than in the past, but they drink better. So obviously that has an impact on the overall amount of wines consumed, but it's a very positive impact in terms of quality and also in terms of economics, because they drink more expensive wines than before," he says.

Scotch whisky sales remain strong and have a loyal following from consumers worldwide. But there are some concerns about sales if Britain leaves the European Union.

Scottish distillery Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited, who have almost 8 decades of experience, wants the United Kingdom to stay in Europe.

The company's chairman Euan Shand is concerned about possible tax increases and export regulations if the June 23rd vote decides the UK will leave.

Europe accounts for 40 percent of the company's market sale.

"If taxes go too high, people might not buy so much Scotch whisky, but I think deep down, Europeans have got a great palate for Scotch whisky and I can't really imagine that they're going to stop drinking it," says Shand.

This year is the 300th anniversary of Italian's famous Chianti Classico appellation. As the world's largest wine producer in 2015, Italy has harvested 49.5 million hectolitres of wine last year, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.

The Italian wine company Marchesi Antinori Srl which started making wine in 1385 has its wine farms in the Chianti region, making its signature Chianti Classico wines.

The company is now expanding into in Asia, concentrating on China.

The Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA, Albiera Antinori says: "Our major market is still Italy, with 35 percent (sales) followed by North America, then the rest of Europe. For us, at the moment, Asia (market) is still very small, it's about 6 percent of our production. I think China will need a little bit of time to get to know Italian wines, so we just need to come here more and have the wines tasted."

The Hong Kong Vinexpo runs 24-26 May 2016

Hong Kong, 24 May 2016

1. Close of glass of different wines

2. Tilt up of rose wines (Price: US $13.4 per bottle)

3. Mid of rose wine with gold (Price: US $200 per bottle)

4. Close of bottles of wines with gold

5. Pan to right of various Italian wines

6. Mid of woman next to wine bottles in different sizes

7. Mid of visitors and wines on shelf

8. Wide of Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo shaking and smelling wine

9. Close of Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo tasting wine

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo:

"It's really a trend, in Europe the main producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain have been consuming wines for generations. Today we see a change in terms of consumption habits. People drink less than in the past, but they drink better. So obviously that has an impact on the overall amount of wines consumed, but it's a very positive impact in terms of quality and also in terms of economics, because they drink more expensive wines than before."

11. Mid of man smelling a glass of white wine

12. Mid of Echezeaux Grand Cru wine (Left) in limited production of 2,400 bottles only (Price: US $558 per bottle) and Corton Grand Cru wine (Right) in limited production of 2,000 bottles only (Price: US$558 per bottle)

13. Wide of Meursault-Genevrieres Premier Cru wine in limited production of 900 bottles only (Price: US$1339)

14. Pan to left from Slovakian wine booth to Scotch whisky booth

15. Mid of visitors in a Scotch whisky booth

16. Tilt up of Euan Shand holding a glass of Scotch whisky

17. Close of a glass of Scotch whisky

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Euan Shand, Chairman of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited:

"I could imagine that, Scotch whisky is sold in over 200 countries worldwide. I don't think if there's split up between Britain and Europe that people would stop drinking Scotch whisky. I think there's relationships formed over hundreds and hundreds of years, so I cannot imagine it is going to make a huge dent to Scotch whisky, but it depends on taxation. It's a fickle world out there and if taxes go too high, people might not buy so much Scotch whisky, but I think deep down, Europeans have got a great palate for Scotch whisky and I can't really imagine that they're going to stop drinking it."

19. Close of two bottles of Scotch whisky (US$78 per bottle)

20. Close of a bottle of Scotch whisky made in 1975 (US$1751)

21. Pan to right of Italian wine booths

22. Close of Italian wines

23. Wide of an Italian wine booth

24. Mid of Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA pouring wine into glass

25. Close of Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA tasting wine

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA:

"Our major market is still Italy, with 35 percent (sales) followed by North America, then the rest of Europe. For us, at the moment, Asia (market) is still very small, it's about 6 percent of our production. I think China will need a little bit of time to get to know Italian wines, so we just need to come here more and have the wines tasted."

27. Wine of various Italian wines

28. Close of Castel Del Monte Aglianico wine (Left) and Primitivo Salento wine (Right)

29. Mid of visitors

30. Tilt down from chandelier to wines on shelf

31. Mid of two men tasting wine

32. Mid of a wine tasting event

33. Close of man tasting wine

34. Shift focus of wine glasses

35. Wide of visitors

North of Hadrian's Wall dividing England from Scotland, the shock at the result of the UK's referendum was still being felt the second weekend after Britons voted to leave the European Union.

In one of the defining splits of last week's vote, all 32 council areas in Scotland voted for Britain to stay in the bloc.

In Edinburgh, 74-percent chose 'remain' - the highest in Scotland - and some believe the nation's 2014 independence referendum is partly responsible for their decision.

Lindsay Wright, a 23-year-old veterinary student celebrating her graduation, attributes the result to more knowledge about EU membership as a result of the referendum in Scotland on UK membership.

She believes two years of political debate over independence has given people the chance to fully weigh the consequences of life outside the EU.

But whilst pro-European sentiment could be expected in a large university city, even towns shattered by the demise of coal mines, shipyards and steelworks made the calculus that quitting the EU wouldn't turn things around for them.

Robert Butcher's father worked in the Ravenscraig steelworks that closed down in 1992.

Yet unlike many blue-collar voters in England or Wales, he doesn't see how leaving the EU would benefit declining industrial towns that were once the backbone of the British Empire.

The old steelworks were demolished in 1996, and the derelict and polluted land is still being cleared up to be reopened for residential or commercial projects.

EU funds have contributed to that effort.

Further north in Alloa, business owner Raymond McGarvey said Scots don't like change and don't like uncertainty.

While Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, one of the 54 legislators representing the Scottish National Party in the British Parliament, said the SNP's enthusiastic campaigning to remain in the EU helps explains why Scotland voted "remain."

And Anthony Ridget-Newman, an associate researcher at the University of Glasgow, believes the independence movement is key to understanding how Scots view their place in the UK and Europe.

To be sure, not all Scots feel the same way.

Unionists marching with British flags and Protestant banners in the annual Orange Order parade in Glasgow rejected the idea that Scotland was being dragged out of the EU by other parts of the country.

Penny whistle player Findley Mclaughlin said the referendum had been a "UK vote", not a Scottish one, accusing the SNP of ulterior motives.

Edinburgh - 2 July 2016

1. Various of bagpipe player in Edinburgh city centre, UPSOUND: bagpipes

2. Scottish flag, UPSOUND: bagpipes

3. People walking down street, UPSOUND: bagpipes

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lindsay Wright, 23-year-old veterinary graduate:

"I don't know if maybe Scotland kind of had done their research on EU membership a bit more before, because kind of voting to remain part of the UK was voting to remain part of Europe, when we voted."

5. Various of statues

6. UK and Scottish flags

Motherwell - 2 July 2016

7. Various of steel plant

8. Various of housing estate next to the old Ravenscraig steelworks.

9. Various of Robert Butcher repairing his car

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Butcher, 52-year-old metal worker:

"Well you've got a lot of wee (small) foundries that were shut down, wee (small) mills that did a lot of things. A lot of people supplied the Ravenscraig. They all lost out, that all disappeared. So you have maybe 5,000 (jobs) disappeared down there, but you'd have about 30 (thousand) in the rest of the community all affected. Their jobs are done away with."

11. Butcher's hand with tool

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Butcher, 52-year-old metal worker:

"We're better in the EU. You're better together. One way or another. It's as simple as that. I mean day-to-day, I don't see ney benefits. But look here, they're the likes of here Ravenscraig. That was all cleaned up, all that. The British government didn't do that. They've (the EU) done that. Half the thingmies (things) that are getting done through here it's the European thingmies (thingumajig) that cough up the money for it, not the British government. So when you realise that, it's fair enough we put a lot of money in but a lot of people don't realise we get a lot of money back other ways."

13. Various of lush landscape on the site of the old Ravencraig steelworks

Alloa - 1 July 2016

14. Cars parked in street of Alloa with highlands in background

15. Public artwork in the town center of Alloa

16. People walking in town center of Alloa

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Raymond McGarvey, 61-year-old business owner:

"Leaving the EU, if it was going to make me a millionaire, make my life better, then I would maybe have voted for it. But it's not going to make my life better. Staying in is just keeping my life the same. I'm not looking for it to be any better than it is, just to keep it the same."

18. Various town centre of Alloa

19. Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of the UK Parliament Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh walking

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, SNP Member of the UK Parliament:

"It was clear that Scotland and indeed Northern Ireland voted differently from the rest of the United Kingdom and when we try to work out why that was, I think it's a lot to do with the Scottish independence movement as it still exists post-independence referendum of 2014. It's often said we are a nation of 5 million politicians. We're engaged in the debate, we listen to the arguments. And I think, having that informed view and vision encourages people to come out and vote, and vote with the feeling that they had the knowledge they were making the right choice and indeed informed choice when they did so."

Glasgow - 1 July 2016

21. Pull-out exterior trees to interior of political analyst Anthony Ridge-Newman, Associate Research, University of Glasgow

22. Close-up on hands

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Anthony Ridge-Newman, Associate Research, University of Glasgow:

"The development of Scottish nationalism in recent years has really changed the social fabric of the Scottish people: the way they view their place in the United Kingdom, and the way they view their place in Europe. And I think that is really the central argument for suggesting why the Scottish people voted to remain in the EU."

Glasgow - 2 July 2016

24. Various of protestant march in Glasgow

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Findley McLaughlin, 57-year-old penny whistle player in the Protestant Boys marching band from Glasgow:

"This time, we voted for the UK to come out (of the EU), but the SNP again have gone against the wishes of the UK, not just the Scottish people, the UK, 100 per cent. It's not, it wasn't a Scottish vote, it was a UK vote. That's the problem. The SNP have got an agenda, 100 per cent. They just want to break up the union. And it'll never work, there's no getting the oil, there's no getting the money, and we'd end up like Greece."

26. Various of protestant march in Glasgow

SHOTLIST:

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Hengoed, Wales - 29 June 2016

1. Various of abandoned coal mine

2. Miner Eddie Cullen walking his dog

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, Miner: (transcript below)

4. Various of abandoned coal mine

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, Miner: (transcript below)

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Near Brynmawr, Wales - 30 June 2016

6. Various of road sign indicating EU financing for the motorway

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Ebbw Vale, Wales - 30 June 2016

7. Various of new college partially financed by the EU

8. New recreational center partially financed by the EU

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Thomas, Occupational Therapist: (transcript below)

10. Various exteriors of new college financed by the EU

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Near Brynmawr, Wales - 30 June 2016

11. Street in center town with "Vote Leave" sign

12. Close-up Welsh flag

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cardiff, Wales - 29 June 2016

13. Various of Ed Poole working at his desk

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ed Poole, Lecturer in Politics and International relations at Cardiff University: (transcript below)

15. Books

16. Tilt down from Ceiling of the Welsh assembly to Welsh conservative leader Andrew RT Davies

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative Leader: (transcript below)

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Merthyr Tydfil, Wales - 30 June 2016

18. Various of open-pit mine and surrounding landscape

STORYLINE:

IT'S BEEN 25 YEARS SINCE THE PENALLTA MINE FELL SILENT…THE RIVER, ONCE BLACK WITH SOOT, IS NOW GREEN AND NATURE HAS TAKEN BACK ITS PLACE IN THIS VALLEY IN SOUTH WALES.

SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, Miner:

"At first, everyone was frightened when the pit shut but life has got to go on and we've still done well. There has been a lot of unemployment in Wales, but we've just got to travel further for the work, like me."

WITH DIRE POVERTY AND HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, SOUTH WALES RECEIVES NEARLY $333 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TO BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPE TO THE VALLEYS REGION.

BUT NONE OF THAT IMPRESSES CULLEN WHO VOTED "LEAVE" IN THE RECENT REFERENDUM ON EU MEMBERSHIP.

SOUNDBITE (English) Eddie Cullen, Miner:

"I think everybody has just had enough, you know? They want their identity back as a country you know, rather than being run by people from outside the country."

THE MODERN HIGHWAY CONNECTING BRYNMAWR WITH OTHER FORMER COAL-MINING TOWNS WAS PARTLY FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION, REPLACING A THREE-LANE ROAD KNOWN FOR ITS MANY DEADLY ACCIDENTS.

IN EBBW VALE, WHERE 62 PERCENT VOTED OUT, EU FUNDS HAVE ALSO BEEN USED TO IMPROVE RAILWAY LINES, OPEN MUSEUMS, HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND ADULT TRAINING CENTERS…

SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Thomas, Occupational Therapist:

"My dad worked at the steelwork, he used to come home and tell us kids that he would have to use a push bike to go from one end of the factory to the other end of the factory. Sadly it's gone now, but with the EU funding we've got the leisure center now, we've got the college, we've got the school, we've got the hospital. It was going to be more development but we don't know what's going to happen now."

DESPITE RECEIVING MORE MONEY FROM THE EU THAN IT CONTRIBUTES, OVER HALF OF THE WELSH ELECTORATE VOTED FOR BRITAIN TO LEAVE THE EU.

PUZZLING MANY ANALYSTS, THE "LEAVE" VOTE WAS STRONGEST IN DEPRIVED POST-INDUSTRIAL AREAS THAT HAVE ARGUABLY BENEFITED THE MOST FROM EU SUPPORT.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ed Poole, Lecturer in Politics and International relations at Cardiff University:

"I'd say that unfortunately, in the long term, Wales might have shot itself in the foot on an economic basis."

"LEAVE" CAMPAIGNERS SAY MANY EU PROJECTS ARE GIMMICKY AND THAT THE EU MONEY SPENT HERE WAS BRITISH MONEY TO BEGIN WITH, SINCE OVERALL BRITAIN CONTRIBUTES MORE MONEY THAN IT GETS BACK FROM THE EU.

SOUNDBITE (English) Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative Leader:

"Very often, these schemes will seem to be managed by elites and ultimately not delivering for the communities that were supposed to benefit, and so people actually use the opportunity of the referendum to say 'Wow, stop the car, I want to get out, the way this car is driven, we're going to hit a brick wall.'"

THE MEN AND WOMEN OF WALES ARE NO STRANGERS TO UNCERTAINTY, BUT THEY ARE NOW HOPING FOR A MORE PROSPEROUS FUTURE OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION.

DAVID KEYTON, FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IN THE VALLEYS REGIONS OF SOUTH WALES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE GERMAN ACADEMIC WHO IS LEAVING BRITAIN

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

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

But the Meyers are leaving.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meyer doesn't want to live that way.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brexit has already hit their purchasing power.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London, UK – 17 February 2017

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

2. Hands on keyboard mouse

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

4. Various Meyer looking at his photos of Berlin

5. Photos being scrolled through

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

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

7. Cutaway of hands

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

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

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

Riga, Latvia - 17 February 2017

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

11. Close of Katrina Rubina

12. Pan of class

13. Rubina exiting classroom

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

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

15. Girl holding a University of Edinburgh bag

16. Rubina talking to classmates in the corridor

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

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

18. Various exteriors of Riga State 2nd Gymnasium

Bournemouth, UK - 28 February 2017

19. Pan interior of John Reid and Sons steel factory

20. Various of steel welding

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

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

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

23. Cutaway tilt down face

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

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

25. Various steel cutting

26. Forklift operating

Torrevieja, Spain - 1 March 2017

27. Wide Torrevieja beach

28. Mid people walking on the beach

29. Mid people in a bar terrace

30. Close menu sign in English

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

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

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

33. Close up of hands

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

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

35. Mid food sign in English

London - 16 February 2017

36. Exterior of Gastronomica Italian deli

37. Various of customers, produce in background

38. Various of deli items

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

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

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

41. Cutaway hands

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

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

43. Staff preparing food

44. Plate of mozzarella and tomato salad

Britain's North East Chamber of Commerce has warned that a 'no deal' Brexit could have a disastrous impact for businesses in this part of the United Kingdom.

Jack Simpson, International trade and Brexit adviser for the chamber, said the northeast trades 60 per cent of global trade with the European Union, and "anything that further adds more friction to this trading relationship will serve to damage those regional trading links."

Simpson added that any fiscal barriers, administration costs and time delays at borders will make this area of the country less competitive in what is today their biggest market.

But businesses in the northeast had differing views on how Brexit could impact them.

Bonds Foundry, a company that makes steel castings for heavy industry such as oil and gas exploration and the marine and construction trade, has a long history dating back to the late 1800s.  

The company employs 240 people at its three sites in the north of England, including this one in Crook near Durham.

It exports 60 per cent of what it produces to the European Union.

Chairman Paul Duncan bought the first foundry in 2000 and has since built up a thriving industry with a turnover of around 25 million pounds sterling (just over 30 million US dollars) a year.

In an already competitive industry Duncan believes leaving the EU will be disastrous for his business.

"My worry in a very competitive industry in an international industry we are reliant on exporting," he said. "My worry is that it makes the task at hand more difficult."

He feels that the government doesn't understand business up in the northeast or the employment difficulties that it currently juggles.

"I don't think it is going to be fine," Duncan says, adding he expects some of his existing EU clients will end up going with his competitors within Europe.

Neil Robinson is the works manager of Bonds Foundry.  

He voted remain in the EU referendum but was conflicted after listening to the politicians and says he could easily have voted leave.  

Many of his colleagues did vote to leave, reflecting the heavily skewed Brexit poll in the northeast.

Robinson says immigration was a big factor and many workers didn't really think about the business side of things and how it would affect their job security.

According to the North East England Chamber of Commerce this part of England exported 13.2 billion pounds sterling in 2018, 60 per cent - 7.9 billion - of which was to the EU.

The chamber says a 'no deal' Brexit would heavily impact the northeast.

A few businesses, however, are not deterred by an exit from the bloc.

John Elliot, Chairman of Ebac Ltd, which makes washing machines, water coolers and dehumidifiers, sees it as an opportunity.

His company has a turnover of 20 million pounds sterling (just over 30 million US dollars) a year, employs 250 people and exports to the Europe and the United States.  

"I think the European Union is conceptually flawed, he said.  "I think it is an organisation that has nothing but costs and less flexibility and bureaucracy.  So I think once we are an independent country we will be free to set our own industrial strategy which suits us."

He imports components from Italy and Korea and exports to France, Italy, Greece and Spain - goods worth 8 million pounds sterling (10 million US dollars) a year.  

Yet he doesn't see a 'no deal' Brexit as a problem.

"We've got to look at the longer term, what's right for the UK. And if we're going to have problems short term, let's get through them."

With less than a month to go before the UK is set to leave the EU, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's willingness to embrace a "no-deal" Brexit has alarmed many lawmakers, since the government's own assessment of such a scenario warns of an economic slowdown, severe delays at British ports, and possible food and medicine shortages.

Crook - 2 October 2019

1. Various of worker soldering steel casting in Bonds Foundry

2. Various of steel castings being transported by steel pulleys

3. Various set-ups of Paul Duncan, chairman of Bonds Foundry Group

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Duncan, chairman of Bonds Foundry Group:

"We employ about 240 people mainly in this area in places where there are not many alternative jobs to be had. My worry in a very competitive industry, in an international industry we are totally relying on exporting. My worry is that it makes the job, the task at hand more difficult. And the politicians tell us that we are in for a new dawn. I am skeptical as to whether that is truly the case."

5. Various of castings encased in sand being moved by pulleys

6 SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Duncan, chairman of Bonds Foundry Group:

"I think it's just a fact that they (politicians) don't understand. This is the north. This is the hard bitten north where employment is difficult. I don't think it is going to be fine. It can only be worse than it is currently. Because with the existing arrangements we have no restrictions as to where we can export to and as a consequence of Brexit those barriers will go up."

7. Various of casting encased in sand being lifted up and moved

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Duncan, chairman of Bonds Foundry Group:

"We have had traditional long-standing customers from Germany, Italy and Spain and France. If I was them, probably, I would be looking for alternatives because with new procedures and the potential for tariffs and difficulties in terms of exporting and importing into their countries, it can only be more difficult. We also only have competitors in each of those places so it would be much easier to go local than it is to go international and coming to us."

9. Various of casting being moved

10. Various of worker soldiering large steel cast

11. Set-up of Neil Robinson, works manager of Bonds Foundry Group:

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Neil Robinson, works manager of Bonds Foundry Group:

"Their feelings (talking about people who voted leave and many of the factory workers will have done) will be get out of there, look after number 1. We don't want the immigration side of it, the open borders and don't really give much thought to the business side but I've been in this industry for a long time and our customer base is primarily exports to the EU as well as parts of the UK but mainly abroad. It's a little bit worrying about what's going to happen in the long run."

Durham - 30 September 2019

13. Set-up shot of Jack Simpson, International trade and Brexit adviser for the North East England Chamber of Commerce

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Simpson, International trade and Brexit adviser for the North East England Chamber of Commerce:

"So 'no deal' would have a disastrous impact on the northeast economy. The northeast trades 60 per cent of global trade with the European Union. Anything that further adds more friction to this trading relationship will serve to damage those regional trading links. We're talking about further fiscal barriers, further administration costs and further time delays at the border which will make it more damaging and harder to trade with the European Union and make us less competitive in our biggest market. The northeast also receives 500 million pounds in regional funding, that's helping businesses start up, scale up and also improve the business environment and culture here in the northeast."

Newton Aycliffe - 2 October 2019

15. Various of washing machines being put together at Ebac Ltd

16. Set-up of John Elliot, Chairman of Ebac Ltd

17. SOUNDBITE (English) John Elliot, Chairman of Ebac Ltd:

"I think the European Union is conceptually flawed. I think it is an organisation that has nothing but costs and less flexibility, bureaucracy. So I think once we are an independent country we will be free to set our own industrial strategy, which suits us. We currently have a system whereby our tariffs with the rest of the world is set by the 27 other countries and I don't think it can be right that all of us are going to benefit from the same tariffs. So I think being independent and setting tariffs for our personal circumstances will make our economy stronger."

18. Various of robots putting together washing machines

19. SOUNDBITE (English) John Elliot, Chairman of Ebac Ltd:

"If people want to be open and do things differently then they could make complications, but business will find a way around it, and that short term problem is not the big issue. We've got to look at the longer term, what's right for the UK? And if we're going to have problems short term, let's get through them."

20. Various of workers making water coolers

Gregory McDonald strides across the spotless factory floor at his company, Goodfish, glowing with pride. He invested his life savings in the gleaming machinery that surrounds him, and he's ready to do anything to protect it.

Worryingly for McDonald, some 30 percent of the moulded plastic parts his company makes ultimately go to carmakers who say they will face a catastrophe if Britain leaves the European Union without an agreement on future trade.

So Goodfish, a nine-year-old company with three plants in England, is preparing to expand in Slovakia, an EU country where Volkswagen, Kia, Peugeot-Citroen and Jaguar Land Rover produce more than one million vehicles a year.

It's a pragmatic decision for McDonald, who says he'll do whatever is necessary to survive, including moving his business to Slovakia.

McDonald, a former hedge fund manager, has ploughed his savings over the years into the company, which employs 125 people at three sites in England.

The smell of melting plastic hangs in the air at the Cannock plant, where molten material is injected into moulds for products ranging from car components to sprinkler systems and disposable medical devices.

Behind his desk, McDonald has a picture of the Slovak plant he intends to buy. He has set up a company there and is ready to finalise the purchase when the time is right.

McDonald's decision illustrates the huge pressures facing Britain's auto industry while the government struggles to negotiate a divorce deal with the EU ahead of Brexit day on March 29.

As Prime Minister Theresa May tries to balance competing political interests and hammer out an agreement Parliament will support, people in the car business are making decisions based on production cycles, not politics.

At stake are 856,000 jobs, most of them at smaller companies like Goodfish that provide parts and services ultimately destined for the likes of Honda, Nissan and Ford.

Carmakers are being forced to weigh uncertainty about possible tariffs and border checks at a time when the industry faces a wholesale overhaul amid changing consumer habits, concerns about global warming and the shift to electric vehicles.

Investment in Britain's car industry fell 46 percent last year and is down 80 percent over the past three years, partly because of Brexit, according to industry figures.

Production dropped 9.1 percent last year to 1.52 million vehicles. Britain's carmakers have warned that two-thirds of the country's global trade could be affected by higher tariffs if the UK leaves the EU without an agreement, as Britain would also fall out of free trade deals the EU had in place with other countries, like Japan.

Recently Nissan cancelled plans to build a new diesel-powered X-Trail sports utility vehicle at its UK plant.

That reversed a decision announced two years ago after May's government offered some 60 million pounds in incentives to ensure the carmaker's ability to compete after Brexit.

Jaguar Land Rover has announced global cuts of 4,500 jobs, with most in Britain. Honda plans to close its U.K. assembly and engine plant, with a loss of 3,500 jobs. Dyson, a homegrown firm known for vacuum cleaners and hair dryers, has said it will build its new electric car in Singapore.

While businesses from banking to food services have demanded certainty about future trade rules, Britain's auto industry is particularly vulnerable to Brexit because cars are assembled, not forged in a single place.

Modern manufacturing techniques mean carmakers have plants in several locations - often in different countries - with each relying on the "just-in-time'' delivery of parts from others in their supply chains to make the most efficient use of workers and investment.

This means tariffs and border delays, which don't exist within the EU but could become a reality in a no-deal Brexit, are an oversized threat to carmakers because they could be applied each time components cross borders on their way, ultimately, to the showroom.

McDonald believes it's unlikely that the U.K. will get investment in manufacturing the way it did in the past, when it was appreciated as an English-speaking gateway to the EU.

Business leaders are getting ever more frustrated with delays in the Brexit talks, their fury spilling over in interviews as they express concerns about foreign investment, jobs and economic growth.

The frustration is shared by automotive industry executives at the Geneva Motor Show who pleaded for an end to the uncertainty. But unlike McDonald, they don't plan on leaving the UK.

Cannock – 18 February 2019

1. Pan right exterior of factory housing injection moulding business that supplies parts to the auto industry

2. Tilt down back of company truck reading (English) "Goodfish – Making it in Plastic" above list of cities the company is based in, including London and Cannock

3. Various of people on factory floor working on injection moulding machines making various plastic parts that are then sent on to customers who provide various car manufacturers

4. Gregory McDonald, owner and CEO of Goodfish, at computer looking at feeds from cameras at his various factories

5. Close-up McDonald

6. Close-up camera feeds from factories

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory McDonald, Owner and CEO of Goodfish:

"Well I am concerned that if Brexit sees us outside of a single market and a customs union, that there will be friction in trade, and we are part of international supply chains, particularly in automotive, and our customers won't want for the long term to be paying duties which have no value in the product."

8. Various of machines and worker in factory

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Gregory McDonald, Owner and CEO of Goodfish:

"I don't worry because I feel that opening it (the factory) within the eurozone will be a quick fix for many of the issues that they are worried about, and that is what will it be like operating a supply chain into the UK when it's uncertain what the tariff situation will be, even what delays could be possible in terms of movement of goods. So I feel relaxed about the future really. I really only need to sign a lease agreement and then six months later we can be manufacturing."

Geneva – 5 March 2019

10. Wide of Nissan stand at motor show

11. Close-up of sign on car reading (English) "X-Trail" pulls out to show wide of car

12. Car interior

13. Writing reading (English) "X-Trail" on carpet

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ponz Pandikuthira, Vice President of Product and Planning at Nissan Europe:

"So we really think that this is going to work itself out. Frictionless trade is really what we want and I think that's the best for the British economy as well, the UK economy. So we do have contingency plans, things that we're looking at, but by and large, we really think that this is going to work itself out and we'll be able to continue building and producing cars in the UK."

15. Close-up of "Nissan" logo on car grille; tilts down to sign reading (English) "Qashqai"

16. Wide of Qashqai

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Ponz Pandikuthira, Vice President of Product and Planning at Nissan Europe:

"Like any other company we do have alternative plans, but there's no plans whatsoever to change our manufacturing locations or shut down the facility in the UK."

Geneva – 4 March 2019

18. Wide of Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess during presentation

19. Close-up VW logo

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Herbert Diess, Volkswagen CEO:

"We have a big manufacturing site in the UK, Bentley, a big brand which is heavily depending on export opportunities, they have an emergency plan prepared and they would be probably hit hardest, but then also, as you say, for some of our premium brands, it's a significant market and we would probably perceive a slow-down in our markets. I hope that over time it could recover, but it's a not pleasant scenario for us."

Geneva – 5 March 2019

21. Wide of BMW stand

22. Close-up BMW logo

23. Wide Pieter Nota, BMW Sales and Brand Director, speaking with media

24. SOUNDBITE (English) Pieter Nota, BMW Sales and Brand Director:

"Well we have indeed taken precaution on logistics, for example, so really making sure that we have logistic alternatives, if there would be, say a disruption in the flow of goods, but ultimately that can only work for short periods of time. So what we are asking for is really politicians please end this period of uncertainty. We are committed to the UK market. Two of our brands are at home in the UK: Rolls Royce and Mini and we have many, many excited customers in the UK for our great BMW brand. So confident about the UK going forward, but we need an end of this period of uncertainly, please."

25. Close-up of Mercedes and BMW logos

26. Wide of motor show

After a lifetime of supporting Labour, Allan Bailey might just vote for the Conservatives – a party he says working people in Clowne used to hate.

A former miner turned District Councilor, Bailey said Labour's stance on Brexit could cost it the election in a constituency created in 1950 and that has known nothing else.

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

More than three years later, the U.K. is still an EU member, and loyalty to Labour has been eroded by frustration at the political gridlock.

"I've been Labour all my life but because the Labour party is where it is and they're not doing what you're telling to do, people are looking elsewhere and thinking: Boris Johnson, I might vote for him," Bailey told the AP.

For him, people will support whichever candidate says he'll deliver on the result of the Referendum – a message, 'Get Brexit Done', at the heart of the Conservatives' campaign.

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

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

As the head of the local Historical Society, Bailey also helped create the Clowne Southgate Colliery memorial.

He says the mines in the area closed decades ago and the younger generations have lost sight of the strong ties between the working class and the Labour Party.

Up the street from the memorial, on the actual site of the former mine sits a thriving industrial estate. At the heart of it is Penny Hydraulics – a company that manufactures cranes and lifts.

It is in good financial health and its owners, fromer miners themselves, have recently expanded and built a brand new warehouse.

Finance Director Ashley Holmes voted Remain 3 years ago, in part because his employer benefited from staying in the Common Market.

"We're doing quite well with the EU in terms of getting grants which has been good for this area," Holmes said. "We've built that new building that you've seen up there – some of that came from grant funding from the EU. It's easy to trade abroad, overseas. It's quite a lot of our turnover that goes overseas and that's why it's been a good reason for us to vote Remain."

But three years later, he too thinks 'it's time to get on with it'.

Clowne is part of the Bolsover parliamentary constituency which is held currently by Labour MP Dennis Skinner who has been their MP since 1970.

Clowne - 10 December 2019

1. Mid of Southgate Colliery memorial by site where mine once was

2. Wide of memorial with cars passing by in foreground

3. Close of historical photo of miners posing at beginning of 20th century

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Allan Gee, 67, Window fitter:

"The village has turned like – it's like a little town now. Years ago, everybody knew each other. It's not like that anymore. I think people still think about people but not like it was years ago."

5. Mid of mining wheel and memorial

6. Wide of mine wagon presented on stretch of rails with Clowne Southgate Colliery written on side

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashley Holmes, 45, Finance Director at Penny Hydraulics:

"I voted to Remain mainly because...obviously I work for Penny Hydraulics. We're doing quite well with the EU in terms of getting grants which has been good for this area. We've built that new building that you've seen up there – some of that came from grant funding from the EU. It's easy to trade abroad, overseas. It's quite a lot of our turnover that goes overseas and that's why it's been a good reason for us voting Remain."

8. Close of a 'coal miners prayer' on side of information panel

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ashley Holmes, 45, Finance Director at Penny Hydraulics

"We'll deal with whatever happens – just wish we'd get on with it really. That might be another reason why people want to move to Conservative because I think they want to get on with Brexit I suppose don't they."

10. Wide of Penny Hydraulics offices and warehouse on site of former mine

11. Mid of Penny Hydraulics employees in meeting on first floor of building

12. Mid of Clowne town centre

13. Mid of Ashgate Coffee sign above shop window

14. Mid of local Parish Councilor and head of the Clowne Local History Society Allan Bailey

15. Wide of Bailey walking into coffee shop

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Allan Bailey, 62, Clowne Parish councilor:

"Basically, I voted for Brexit – same as a lot of people – and when they say to you, we'll have another vote… But we've had one vote. We've had a democratic vote to break away (from the EU) and now they want another one. There's even the Lib Dems, they're saying 'well if you we get in power we're going tear Brexit up'. But c'mon, we've had an election. It's like saying to me, well, 'you were voted in as a district councilor in May. I think we'll have another one (vote) because we don't like what we got' sort of thing."

17. Close of eyes of Bailey

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Allan Bailey, 62, Clowne Parish councilor:

"It does feel strange because like, say, I'm working class. I've been Labour all my life but because the Labour party is where it is and they're not doing what you're telling them to, people are looking elsewhere and thinking: well, Boris Johnson, I might vote for him. There's two independents standing in Clowne. There is a Brexit (Party) candidate and a Lib Dem candidate. The election's being run by Brexit. Brexit is fueling the election. If one person can offer this area, which was 70 odd percent Brexit, that person will win, sort of thing."

19. Mid of street in Clowne town center

20. Wide of wind turbine with row of houses in foreground