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

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

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

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AGENCY POOL

London - 28 August 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Verhofstadt being seated

The Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said the Brexit vote appeared to have emboldened some people to commit hate crimes in the UK.

Speaking in London on Monday, Miqdaad Versi said that hundreds of hate crimes had been committed across the country in the past two days since the vote to leave the EU.

He said that the type of language being used in the abuse indicated that there was some sort of link with the referendum result.

Versi said it was now very important that civic society and politicians stood up to this racism and bigotry.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has asked London police to be on heightened alert to deal with a possible increase in hate crimes as a result of the Brexit vote.

Khan said on Monday that there would be "zero tolerance" of any attempt to divide communities. He spoke after a Polish diplomat complained about abuse directed at the Polish community since Thursday's vote.

A Polish community centre in west London was vandalised and police in Cambridgeshire are looking into reports of racist notes being given to Polish residents.

Immigration was a big issue in the vote, with those wanting to take Britain out of the EU saying it would make it easier for Britain to control its borders.

Prime Minister David Cameron has also condemned a spate of racist attacks since the referendum, saying he would "not tolerate intolerance".

The Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said the Brexit vote appeared to have emboldened some people to commit hate crimes in the UK.

Speaking in London on Monday, Miqdaad Versi said that hundreds of hate crimes had been committed across the country in the past two days since the vote to leave the EU.

He said that the type of language being used in the abuse indicated that there was some sort of link with the referendum result.

Versi said it was now very important that civic society and politicians stood up to this racism and bigotry.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has asked London police to be on heightened alert to deal with a possible increase in hate crimes as a result of the Brexit vote.

Khan said on Monday that there would be "zero tolerance" of any attempt to divide communities. He spoke after a Polish diplomat complained about abuse directed at the Polish community since Thursday's vote.

A Polish community centre in west London was vandalised and police in Cambridgeshire are looking into reports of racist notes being given to Polish residents.

Immigration was a big issue in the vote, with those wanting to take Britain out of the EU saying it would make it easier for Britain to control its borders.

Prime Minister David Cameron has also condemned a spate of racist attacks since the referendum, saying he would "not tolerate intolerance".

London – 27 June 2016

1. Set up of Assistant Secretary General of Muslim Council of Britain Miqdaad Versi

2. Close-up of Versi

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Miqdaad Versi, Assistant Secretary General of Muslim Council of Britain:

"What we can say is that in the last two days we've had hundreds of hate crimes across the country, and they type of language that has been used, like 'Go back to your own country', 'We voted this way, now you have to get out,' - that type of language indicates there is some sort of link (to the referendum result), and that people on the ground feel somehow legitimised to say the things that they are (saying.) They feel emboldened that this result has meant that a majority of people support their racist and bigoted views, when in reality, that's not the case."

4. Cutaway

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Miqdaad Versi, Assistant Secretary General of Muslim Council of Britain:

"The reality is that this (referendum result) may have unleashed a Pandora's box of bigotry and Islamophobia that has emboldened those who wanted to say things in the past and haven't felt they've been able to. And as a result it is very important that civic society and politicians stand up to say 'no' to racism, 'no' to bigotry, and act rather than just stay silent on an issue that affects the whole of society."

6. Cutaway

London's mayor pledged to campaign hard to persuade British citizens to vote to remain in the European Union in a June 23 referendum.

Sadiq Khan told The Associated Press on Sunday that leaders need to to go "door to door, street to street, city to city," to persuade voters in what is seen as an extremely close contest.

Speaking on the sidelines of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday celebrations, Khan offered an impassioned appeal to political leaders to put aside differences that have diluted the message of campaigners who want the country to remain in the EU.

"If we believe that the European Union is important for jobs, important for our children's future, important for our security, important for our way of life, we've got to campaign together," he said.

London's mayor pledged to campaign hard to persuade British citizens to vote to remain in the European Union in a June 23 referendum.

Sadiq Khan told The Associated Press on Sunday that leaders need to to go "door to door, street to street, city to city," to persuade voters in what is seen as an extremely close contest.

Speaking on the sidelines of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday celebrations, Khan offered an impassioned appeal to political leaders to put aside differences that have diluted the message of campaigners who want the country to remain in the EU.

"If we believe that the European Union is important for jobs, important for our children's future, important for our security, important for our way of life, we've got to campaign together," he said.

London - 12 June, 2016

1. Sadiq Khan, London Mayor, talking to reporters

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London Mayor:

"It's neck and neck. I've always thought it was going to be very close. There are 16 days to go and it's really important we understand what's at stake here now. The European Union has brought huge benefits to our country; economic benefits, cultural benefits, social benefits. It helps keep us safe. But, you know, we're an open-minded, outward-looking country. We embrace other cultures, learning the best ideas from other countries, and I'm really passionate about our future being in the heart of the European Union. I'm going to spend the next 16 days persuading my fellow citizens why I think it's so important to our country."

3. Khan speaking to reporters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London Mayor: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"We're going to be doing a series of events across the next 16 days. I'll be in London, and also going around the country as well, to persuade other people why it's so important Look, what this can't be seen is through the prism of a Conservative leadership contest - it's much more important than that. It's about our children and grandchildren; (about) what sort of country you want to live in; do we enjoy the fact that we are no longer suspicious of our French cousins and our German neighbours. We want to see them as friends and as allies. We have businesses doing business from Germany and France, Spain and Italy, here in London, but also with companies from around the world. Japanese, Chinese, American, who have their European headquarters here in London. I don't want to lose that."

5. Khan speaking to reporters

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London Mayor: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"What's really important over the next 16 days is that we put aside any party political differences; (that) we put aside any personal differences we have. If we believe that the European Union is important for jobs, important for our children's future, important for our security, important for our way of life, we've got to campaign together, go door to door, go street to street, in each community, city to city, to persuade our fellow citizens why it is so important to our future. I believe it is."

7. Photographers

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London Mayor: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"We can't have scaremongering. We can't have 'Project Fear'. But it is legitimate to explain, look, if currently the European Union - imperfect though it is - brings jobs, growth, prosperity, what would happen if we left? What happens to those businesses that are American, Japanese, Chinese, that have their headquarters here in London as a gateway to the European Union. What happens to the business we do with Germany, France, Spain, Italy, all these countries in the European Union. The EU's GDP is bigger than China and the USA. It's really important."

9. Reporter

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London Mayor: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"We're an open-minded, outward-looking country. We're not isolationist, we're internationalist. We've always embraced other cultures, not for the last 20 to 30 years, but for the last 1,000 years, and I don't want that to end now."

11. Khan posing for photographs

Hundreds of people, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, gathered at Britain's Parliament Square on Wednesday in support of lawmakers trying to block a departure from the European Union without a deal.

Khan said a no-deal Brexit would be a catastrophe.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson later in the evening called for a national election on 15 October, saying it was the only way out of Britain's Brexit impasse, after opposition lawmakers moved to block his plan to leave the EU next month without a divorce deal.

But  opposition parties said they would not back one until the Brexit bill becomes law, and Johnson needs the support of two-thirds of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons to trigger an election.

London - 4 September 201

1. Various protesters gathered for pro-EU rally at Parliament Square

2. Mid of protesters clapping, woman in red holding up sign reading (English) "People's Vote"

3. Close of placard reading (English) "Stop the coup"

4. Mid of Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, speaking

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London:

"It's really important that the MPs (Members of Parliament) in there (pointing toward the House of Commons) put aside party differences and work together to avoid a catastrophic No-Deal Brexit. It's really important that the people who have come along today have their voices heard through the MPs they voted for after the (2016 Brexit) referendum. No one voted for a No-Deal Brexit. No one voted for (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson to be our Prime Minister. No one voted for the catastrophic consequences of a No-Deal Brexit, which would affect future generations to come. That's why it's really important we work together to avoid a catastrophic No-Deal Brexit."

6. Crowd cheering

7. Close of woman clapping

8. Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, on stage

9. Mid of Swinson on stage addressing crowd UPSOUND (English) "We will not be silenced"

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats:

"A general election, the Liberal Democrats are absolutely up for that. The important thing is that any general election happens in a responsible way without the threat of crashing out (of the EU). And that is the trap that Boris Johnson wants people to fall into. So the Liberal Democrats will be responsible with our democracy. We are, and have been since the beginning, the strongest, biggest part of (the) Remain (side); we will keep fighting to stop Brexit."

11. Close of protester listening

12. Pan of crowd

13. Banner reading (English) "We will never surrender #Leave"

14. Close of pin with reading (English) "Stop Brexit"

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Lord Peter Hain, Labour member of Britain's House of Lords:

"Well, we're seeing every democratic norm, every democratic convention and tradition just completely thrown out of the window. Starting with Boris Johnson, who has prorogued Parliament on a completely cynical and dishonest basis to get his No-Deal Brexit through, because that's what he wants. Now they are trying every trick in the book, but we are determined to fight for decent values and the kind of values that Europe stands for."

Europe stands for."

16. Various of pro-EU supporters cheering

17. Wide of Jess Philipps, Labour MP, on stage speaking

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Jess Philipps, Labour MP:

"If Boris Johnson wants an election, the reason he wants it is because it will take us over the period of October 31. The day that I dance to Boris Johnson's tune , the day I do anything Boris Johnson asks me, will be the day I probably leave this parliament. Under no circumstances am I going to play along with a Game Of Thrones by a man who cares only for himself."

19. Mid of supporters, one carrying sign reading (English) "Stop the Coup d'Twat"

20. Wide of rally

Organisers of Saturday's mass rally in London in support of a new Brexit referendum estimate that 670,000 people took part.

The People's Vote March started at Hyde Park and ended at Parliament Square, where speakers made the case for the people of Britain to have a final say on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations between the government and the European Union.

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UK POOL

London - 20 October 2018

++QUALITY AS INCOMING++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London mayor:

"This government's is leading us towards either a bad Brexit deal or even worse, no deal at all. These options are a million miles away from what was promised. The government doesn't have a mandate to gamble with our future. (cheers) Are we going to stand by and let them? (Crowd chants 'No') The government is risking the livelihoods of our children without the people having a final say. Are going to stay quiet? (Crowd chants 'No') The government is choosing party politics over their national interests. Are we going to let them get away with it? (Crowd chants 'No'). You know, the lies the mistruths, the deceptions are now being exposed and the will of the British people is changing. (Crowd cheers)"

++BLACK++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, London mayor:

"What can be more democratic, what can be more British than trust in the judgement of the British people? (Crowd cheers) And so let the message ring out loudly and clearly today: It's time, it's time for this vital issue to be taken out of the hands of politicians in Westminster. (Crowd cheers) It's time it was returned to the British people. (Crowd cheers) It's time we took back control."

++BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Chuka Umunna, Opposition Labour Party MP:

"And the fact is, what do we know now? Whether you're from Liverpool, Lincoln, Llandudno, Livingstone in Scotland, or Lambeth where I am - we now know going through this process, that Brexit is not going to make any of those problems better. It is going to make them worse. And the deal on the table, it is nowhere near as good as good as the deal that we've got now. So let us not have, let us not have you Farages (reference to former Ukip leader Nigel Farage), your Boris Johnsons (former British foreign secretary) or your Jacob Rees-Moggs (Conservative Member of Parliament) divide this nation and let us say with one voice: 'We want a people's vote and we want it now."

++BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Anna Soubry, Conservative Party MP:

"We are winning the argument, and we're winning that argument most importantly amongst those people who voted Leave. We are making the case that they did not vote for this chaos and this mess. And I say to all the leave voters in particular. They know when they look to their children and their grandchildren increasingly they are putting their interests first, and when they do that they know that Brexit would be a disaster for the future of our country."

++BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Anna Soubry, Conservative Party MP:

"Where were all the Brexit leaders? Where are they? They are not taking responsibility for this mess and for this chaos, they've walked away. We will not walk away. We will take responsibility and we will sort out this mess with people's vote. That's what we're gonna do."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, on Saturday joined hundreds of thousands gathered in the British capital to call for another European Union referendum.

Addressing crowds on stage near Parliament, Khan called Brexit a "complete and utter mess", dominated by party politics over national interest, adding "it's time to withdraw Article 50".  

Organisers of the anti-Brexit march are hoping to convince lawmakers to back a new referendum on whether Britain should follow through on plans to leave the European Union.

An online petition to the government titled "Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU" reached more than 4 million signatures on Saturday.

Britain opted to leave in a June 2016 referendum, but the process has been stalled by political discord.

UK POOL

London - 23 March 2019

1. London Mayor Sadiq Khan getting on stage to speak at anti-Brexit rally calling for a second EU referendum

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London:

"We can all agree that Brexit has been a complete and utter mess. With just days to go, we're in danger of falling off the cliff which would have catastrophic consequences. We've seen how party politics have repeatedly been put ahead of the national interest. We've seen how the government has ignored our warnings time and time again. It's time to say, loud and clear, enough is enough. It's time to withdraw Article 50."

3. Khan leaving stage after speech

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday predicted the eventual passage of a Brexit deal.

Trump said during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May in London that he "would say that it will happen and that it should happen."

He said he believes it "will be good for the country."

The US President is in the UK on a state visit.

During the joint news conference Trump also said that the United States was committed to a phenomenal trade deal with Britain as it prepares to leave the European Union.

"I think everything with the trade deal is on the table. When you're dealing on trade anything is on the table, so NHS, or anything else, a lot more than that. But everything will be on the table, absolutely," he said.

May has been dogged by her failure to achieve Brexit and is stepping down this week as head of her Conservative Party but will remain as prime minister until her successor is chosen.

It will be the new prime minister's responsibility to achieve Brexit and any bilateral trade deal with the US.

When asked about the future sharing of intelligence with the UK, Trump said he sees "no limitations" even as the US continues to press its longtime ally to ban Chinese company Huawei (WAH'-way) amid espionage and trade concerns.

He said the issue came up during his meetings Tuesday with May but that they're "going to absolutely have an agreement on Huawei and everything else."

Speaking on political figures within the UK, Trump said that he would not meet with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was among thousands of demonstrators expressing noisy opposition to Trump's visit.

Trump called Corbyn a "negative force."

"I think that the people should look to do things correctly as opposed to criticise, I really don't like critics as much as I like and respect people who get things done, so I've decided not to meet,"  he said.

He also called London Mayor Sadiq Khan a "negative force."

Trump says Khan has not been a very good mayor and should focus on his job.

UK POOL

London - 4 June 2019

1. Wide of UK Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump on stage at news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

(Reporter: "Do you think (Mayor of London) Sadiq Khan is a stone cold loser?")

"You're talking about the Mayor of London, is that who you said, yes? Well I think he's been a not very good mayor from what I understand, he's done a poor job, crime is up, lot of problems and I don't think he should be criticising a representative of the United States that can do so much good for the United Kingdom. We talked about it before, he should be positive, not negative, he's a negative force not a positive force. And if you look at what he said he hurts the people of this great country. And I think he should actually focus on his job, it'd be a lot better if he did that, he could straighten out some of the problems that he has and probably some of the problems that he's caused. Thank you."

++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++ ++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

"He wanted to meet with me and I told him no. I don't know Jeremy Corbyn, never met him, never spoke to him, he wanted to meet today or tomorrow and I decided that I would not do that. I think that he is, from where I come from, somewhat of a negative force. I think that the people should look to do things correctly as opposed to criticise, I really don't like critics as much as I like and respect people who get things done, so I've decided not to meet."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

(Answering a question about Brexit and if the UK should leave the EU on October 31)

"I would say that I would think it will happen and it probably should happen. This is a great, great country and it wants its own identity, it wants to have its own borders, it wants to run its own affairs, this is a very, very special place and I think it deserves a special place."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

"We're absolutely going to have an agreement on Huawei and everything else. We have an incredible intelligence relationship and we will be able to work out any differences. We did discuss it, I see absolutely no limitations. We've never had limitations this is a truly great ally and partner and we'll have no problem."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

"Look I think everything with the trade deal is on the table. When you're dealing on trade anything is on the table, so NHS, or anything else, a lot more than that. But everything will be on the table, absolutely."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President: ++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES VARIOUS ANGLES++

"I don't know (Environment Secretary) Michael (Gove). But would he do a good job Jeremy, tell me...." UPSOUND laughing

8. Various of Trump and May leaving news conference ++MUTE++