STORYLINE

Britain and the European Union warned December 8th that talks on a post-Brexit free-trade deal are teetering on the brink of collapse, with just over three weeks until an economic rupture that will cause upheaval for businesses on both sides of the English Channel.

Officials downplayed the chances of a breakthrough when Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Brussels for face-to-face talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the next few days.

With negotiators deadlocked on key issues after months of tense talks, German European Affairs Minister Michael Roth said the bloc’s confidence in Britain was hanging in the balance.

Johnson’s Downing Street office said the situation was “very tricky” and collapse of the talks was a distinct possibility.

Johnson and von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive arm, spoke by phone December 7th for the second time in 48 hours.

They said afterwards that “significant differences” remained on three key issues - fishing rights, fair-competition rules and the governance of future disputes - and “the conditions for finalizing an agreement are not there.”

The two leaders said in the joint statement that they planned to discuss the remaining differences “in a physical meeting in Brussels in the coming days.”

Leaders of the EU's 27 nations are holding a two-day summit in Brussels starting Thursday.

***

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Brussels on December 9th, ahead of crunch Brexit trade talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the evening.

The leaders of Britain and the European Union will meet for a dinner that could pave the way to a post-Brexit trade deal - or tip the two sides toward a chaotic economic rupture at the end of the month.

They have just a few hours over a multi-course meal to unstick negotiations that are deadlocked on key aspects of the future relationship for the EU and Britain.

The U.K. left the EU on Jan. 31st after 47 years of membership, but remains within the bloc’s tariff-free single market and customs union until the end of the year.

Reaching a trade deal by then would ensure there are no tariffs or quotas on trade in goods on Jan. 1st, although there would still be new costs and red tape for businesses.

Failure to secure a trade deal would mean tariffs and other barriers that would hurt both sides, although most economists think the British economy would take a greater hit because the U.K. does almost half of its trade with the bloc.

***

As Brexit talks enter their decisive final days, there's still a big catch: the fishing industry.

It is holding up the trade deal between the European Union and recently departed Britain, putting at risk hundreds of thousands of jobs and tens of billions of euros in annual production losses.

French fishermen are anxious about a looming no-deal Brexit, following months of talks by negotiators seeking to cobble together a trade deal in the wake of their Brexit divorce.

While French and other European fishermen currently take much of their catch in UK waters, a no-deal Brexit could end or significantly limit that.

Twenty-eight year old fisherman Mathieu Pinto is concerned about the prospects of a no-deal Brexit.

Docking his boat, L'Ophelea, in the French port of Boulogne-Sur-Mer after a night of fishing sea-snails or whelk, Pinto said that the vast majority of his catch comes from British waters and there will be a "huge impact" on his business.

Pinto believes the consequences of the end of the current fishing policies would mean war amongst European boats fishing across the same coastal waters in France.

There is essentially not enough to go around, he said.

Pinto talks with other fishermen here in Boulogne and he says they are all just as scared as he is.

He says he is not yet ready to sell his boat but as someone who learned the trade handed down through his family, he is quickly losing his passion.

As well as France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Denmark are among those directly implicated by the potential closing off of UK waters.

Brussels has proposed a 12-month period for continued reciprocal access to fishing waters but Britain has suggested this could be rejected.

For centuries, foreign fishermen shared the plentiful waters off Britain, and it has been no different since the UK joined the EU in 1973.

But as catches dwindled, sometimes to a fraction of their previous numbers because of ruthless overexploitation, the number of British fishermen has dwindled from 22,000 in 1975 to 12,000 in 2018.

Rightly or wrongly, EU trawlers venturing freely in UK waters came to be seen as a symbol of plunder and exploitation.

When Britain voted to leave, saving UK waters for UK fishermen became a rallying cry.

In an ideal scenario, British fishermen would have all the waters to themselves, able to expand what so long has been a diminishing industry but it's not that simple.

The EU came into the trade negotiations demanding that its boats continue being allowed to fish.

Even though Brexit left the bloc in a much weaker position, UK exports gave it leverage.

Some 80% of fish landed in the UK is exported, and three-quarters of that goes to the EU.

If the continent closes off its markets, fish would be left rotting on British quays.

The debate during the final days centers on how the issues of fishing rights for EU trawlers could be reconciled with low or no tariffs for UK exports through fish-processing hubs like Boulogne-sur-Mer.

***

Lorries travelling to the UK port of Dover were stuck in traffic jams that stretched back several kilometres on December 12th.

The queues built up even though it's three weeks before Britain leaves the European Union.

Logistics companies have reported a surge in demand for imports ahead of a potential no-deal Brexit.

The British government has warned that even with a deal, there could be queues as long as 100 kilometres if companies don't prepare the new paperwork.

***

Tensions were high in Dover on December 23rd as thousands of drivers remained stranded at the UK port.

Police were confronted by frustrated drivers in the road leading to the ferries, before backing away from the crowd.

People ran to return to their vehicles after officers signalled to move the traffic towards the port.

Many have been stuck in Dover for three days now after France banned travel from the UK on Sunday following news of a new variant of coronavirus spreading across south east England.

A deal was reached between the two countries to resume travel on December 23rd, as long as travellers showed a negative COVID test result from within the last 72 hours.

British Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said around 4,000 trucks may be waiting in the county of Kent to cross the Channel and urged other truckers not to head there until the backlog is cleared.

It will take “a few days” to test all the drivers before they can travel to France, he said.

***

Scuffles broke out at the UK's Dover Port on December 23rd when police attempted to clear a route for health workers to arrive as efforts to clear a backlog of stranded drivers continued.

A police escort led in a group of cars carrying National Health Service test and trace workers and people were instructed to return to their vehicles as testing was about to commence.

However, some drivers who were stranded at the port were protesting by blocking vehicles from leaving the port.

A man was removed by police officers when he laid down in front of a truck.

Another protester attempted to stop a bus of port workers from entering.

Gridlock at the English port had kept thousands of truckers and travellers stranded on Wednesday despite a deal with France to lift a two-day blockade imposed because of a new variant of the coronavirus that had isolated Britain and raised fears of food shortages.

Nations around the world began barring people from Britain over the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that scientists said a new version of the virus whipping around London and England's southeast may be more contagious.

***

Britain's Brexit negotiator David Frost left the UK Mission in Brussels to go to the EU Commission on December 24th, as the two sides appeared to be on the cusp of striking a trade deal.

Negotiators from the European Union and Britain worked through the night and right into Christmas Eve to put the finishing touches on a trade deal that should avert a chaotic economic break between the two sides on New Year's Day.

After resolving the remaining fair-competition and almost all fisheries issues on December 23rd, negotiators combed through hundreds of pages of legal text that should become the blueprint for a post-Brexit relationship.

As during much of the nine-month negotiations, the issue of EU fleets in British waters proved the most intractable and divisive, with negotiators still haggling over quotas for some individual species as dawn came.

Still, sources on both sides said the long and difficult negotiations were on the cusp of being wrapped up as negotiators, holed up at EU headquarters in Brussels with a stack of pizzas, worked to deliver the text to their leaders on Thursday.

***

While corks may have popped in London and Brussels over reaching the relative certainty of a post-Brexit trade deal after years of delays and negotiations, there was one rocky speck of British soil still left in limbo.

Gibraltar, known colloquially as The Rock, is a UK colony jutting off the southern tip of Spain's mainland.

But it was not included in the agreement announced on Christmas Eve between the European Union and the UK to reorganise commercial and trade relations between the now 27-member bloc and the first nation to exit the group

The deadline for Gibraltar remains January 1st, when a transitionary period regulating the short frontier between Gibraltar and Spain expires.

If no deal is reached, there are serious concerns that a hard border would cause disruption for the workers, tourists and major business connections across the two sides.

More than 15,000 people live in Spain and work in Gibraltar, making up about 50% of Gibraltar's labour force, and their cross-border journeys help make up the 30 million annual crossings.

Oscar Aguilera is a 40-year-old resident of La Linea De La Concepcion, the Spanish town that borders Gibraltar.

Every day, he crosses the frontier to work for a cleaning company based on The Rock.

Aguilera says he relies heavily on a fluid border for his daily work commute and worries about what will happen if there is no deal.

The Rock was ceded to the UK in 1713, and for three centuries, the strategic outcrop of high terrain has given its navy command of the narrow seaway linking the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean.

Spain, however, has never dropped its claim to sovereignty over it and throughout the Brexit talks, it insisted it wants a say on the future of Gibraltar.

It succeeded in convincing the EU to separate the issue of Gibraltar from the wider Brexit negotiations, meaning that Madrid is handling all talks directly with its counterparts in Gibraltar and London.

The Spanish foreign ministry has warned that if an agreement is not reached before 1 January, the long lines of stranded truck drivers seen at the English Channel crossing could be repeated.

On Monday Spain's foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya reiterated that her government wants to reach a deal, adding that "there's no plan B", and that "either there's a deal with the United Kingdom or there's a hard border."

Lorenzo Pérez-Periañez, who represents the La Linea Association of Small and Medium enterprises, has no doubt that a hard border would be devastating for the economies of both Gibraltar and Spain.

But he is keen to stress that it's not all about the financial impact, as border restrictions will impact families living on both sides.

Gibraltar's population of about 34,000 was overwhelmingly against leaving the EU.

In the UK's 2016 Brexit referendum, 96% of voters in Gibraltar supported remaining in the EU, because they felt the trade bloc would give them more leverage to deal with Madrid.

***

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on December 30th signed the post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union.

Johnson told the media after the signing that "this is not the end, it is a new beginning".

Britain’s House of Commons voted to approve the deal, paving the way for an orderly break with the bloc that will finally complete the UK’s years-long Brexit journey.

With just a day to spare, lawmakers voted 521-73 December 30th to approve the agreement sealed between the UK government and the EU last week.

It will become British law once is passes through the unelected House of Lords on December 30th and gets formal royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II.

The UK left the EU almost a year ago, but remained within the bloc’s economic embrace during a transition period that ends at midnight Brussels time -- 11 p.m. in London - on December 31st.

02:01:31

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GVs of EU buildings as Brexit stalemate remains

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brussels - 08 December 2020

1. Close of front of the European Commission logo

2. Wide of Christmas trees for sale in front of the European Commission

00:07:15

UK PM arrives at ambassador residence in Brussels

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brussels - 9 December 2020

++NIGHT SHOTS++

3. Various of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson arriving at the residence of the U.K. ambassador to Belgium ahead of Brexit talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

00:12:07

French fishermen anxious over no-deal Brexit

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Boulogne-Sur-Mer - 10 December 2020

4. French fishing boat L'Ophelea arriving into Boulogne port after fishing overnight

5. Shellfish catch - whelk or sea snails- being unloaded from the boat

6. Fish and fishmongers

00:25:16

Lorries in long queues at Dover ahead of Brexit

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dover - 12 December 2020

7. Various of queues of lorries heading to Dover port

8. Dover port from the cliffs

00:37:16

Tensions high in Dover as some vehicles start move

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dover - 23 December 2020

9. Man confronts police officer in front of lorry

10. Row of police formed in front of lorry

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Scuffles as police try to clear route for testing in Dover

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dover - 23 December 2020

11. Wide of man being removed from road by police officers

12. People demonstrating, one man stepping in front of bus

13. Police officers in front of road sign reading (English) "Return to vehicles, testing to commence"

00:57:16

Frost in Brussels on cusp of striking Brexit trade deal

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brussels - 24 December 2020

14. The UK's chief Brexit negotiator leaving the UK mission getting into car to go to the EU Commission, car leaving

01:05:08

Gibraltar’s post-Brexit border with Spain in limbo

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Gibraltar - 22 December 2020

15. Workers crossing border into Gibraltar from Spain

16. Spanish worker Oscar Aguilera entering Gibraltar

Gibraltar - 19 December 2020

17. Various of people walking in town, at cafe

01:24:18

Johnson signs post Brexit trade deal

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UK POOL

London - 30 December 2020

18. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson signing trade deal, UPSOUND (English) Boris Johnson: " Here it is folks, this is it. And I know the question you will all be asking yourselves is, have I read it? The answer is yes. And it's an excellent deal for this country. But also, for our friends and partners. "

As Britain prepares for a sharp economic break with the EU, an uncertain future awaits one bike manufacturer, which fears not having enough reserve supplies following turbulence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The team at Brompton Bicycle Ltd., which exports its hand-made folding bikes to 47 countries, thought they were prepared for Brexit, having stockpiled parts.

But then, the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Orders dried up as stores were closed during lockdown in the spring, only to surge once it was lifted.

"We struggled to get the parts back in again," said Brompton chief executive Will Butler-Adams.

"So we've had to eat into our Brexit stock, which has saved us in many respects. But ... we're now sitting here with a month to go and we've got no Brexit stock and we're facing Brexit."

Another worry for Butler-Adams is the government's decision to abolish an anti-dumping tariff imposed by the EU on Chinese bicycles after Brexit.

Brompton and other British manufacturers say removing the 48.5% tax will flood the market with cheap bikes subsidized by the Chinese state.

The U.K. split from the EU politically early this year, but remained part of the bloc's economic embrace during an 11-month transition as the two sides tried to negotiate a new free-trade deal to take effect Jan. 1.

But months of tense and often testy negotiations have not resolved differences on fishing rights, fair-competition rules and how to resolve future disputes.

Intense talks must produce either a breakthrough or a final breakdown in the coming days.

If there is no deal, New Year's Day will bring tariffs and other barriers to U.K.-EU trade, hurting economies on both sides of the English Channel.

The burden will fall most heavily in Britain, which does almost half its trade with the EU.

Things will be smoother with a deal, which would remove quotas and tariffs on goods, though business still face new obstacles and red tape.

Trade expert David Henig of the European Centre for International Political Economy said Jan. 1 marks "the biggest one-day change in trading relations that any country since 1945 will have experienced."  

"This is going from a permissive regime, where more or less we can trade anything with the EU that we like, to a permission-based one where we have to check for everything that we want to trade — whether that's goods or services — whether we're allowed to do it," he said.

London - 24 November 2020

1. Worker in Brompton Bicycle factory turning pedal bar on upturned bike

2. Worker tightening bike part

3. Worker twisting handle bars

4. Brompton Bicycle chief executive Will Butler-Adams walking along production line

5. Worker screwing part into wheel

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Butler-Adams, Brompton Bicycle chief executive:

"We put in place plans for the worst case scenario, and then we forgot about it, really, and got back to running our business and didn't spend three years getting distracted worrying about what might happen with Brexit. And that was all great. But of course, then COVID came along, and we'd built up this fantastic stock, for the worst case Brexit scenario, but then, when we went into the corona crisis, we stopped ordering because it was terrifying, and orders fell off a cliff and all our shops closed."

7. Pan across factory floor

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Butler-Adams, Brompton Bicycle chief executive:

"When we came out of COVID, suddenly demand, which we hadn't anticipated - maybe we should have done - went totally bananas, so then we were like "turn it on again, turn it on again," so did the whole rest of the industry, so then we struggled to get the parts back in again, so we've had to eat in to our Brexit stock, which saved us in many respects, but it now means, having been prudent and got it all organized like three years ago, we're now sitting here with a month to go, and, we've got no Brexit stock and we're facing Brexit."

9. Pan down boxes of parts

10. Various of workers welding parts

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Will Butler-Adams, Brompton Bicycle chief executive:

"Anti-dumping actually means that the country where the product is coming from is subsidizing that industry, i.e. you don't have to pay for your rent, your materials, your electricity is costing you a lot less than the actual going rate. What that does is, it means that it's not fair. The state is subsidizing that industry to make it so competitive that it's uncompetitive, we can't compete."

12. Worker putting wheel together

13. Worker placing part on mud guard

14. Bike pushed across production floor, pan to wheel being folded away

15. Bikes on production line

16. Sign reading (English) "Assembly Line 1," listing number of bikes built and packed, sign changing to "100%"

17. European Centre for International Political Economy trade expert David Henig walking towards road

18. Cyclists on road

19. SOUNDBITE (English) David Henig, trade expert at the European Centre for International Political Economy:

"It's probably the biggest change, one day change, in trading relations that any country since 1945 will have experienced. This is a huge change. This is going from a permissive regime where more or less we can trade anything with the EU that we like, to a permission based one where we have to check that everything that we want to trade, whether that's goods or services, whether we're allowed to do it."

20. Wide of London street with cyclists and traffics

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

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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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told journalists on Monday the coronavirus pandemic had made the need for the European Union (EU) to reach a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK "even more urgent."

"The stakes may be even higher now than they were a year ago," Maas said in Berlin standing alongside the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Britain's prime minister and the head of the European Union told their chief negotiators Saturday to get back together and push “intensively” to strike a post-Brexit trade deal before time runs out in a matter of weeks.

Britain left the EU politically in January after more than 45 years of membership, but remains economically tied to the bloc until a Brexit transition period ends on December 31.

Berlin - 5 October 2020

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

1. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier arriving

2. SOUNDBITE (German) Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister:

"The stakes may be even higher now than they were a year ago. The corona(virus) pandemic has made the talks even more difficult, but it has also made an agreement even more urgent."

3. Photographer

4. SOUNDBITE (German) Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister

"Our door remains open for a close and ambitious partnership with Great Britain. That is and will remain our goal. Dear Michel, thank you again for the talks today and thank you for your visit to Berlin today."

++CONTINUOUS SHOT++

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

"Many thanks Heiko and many thanks to the German Presidency (of the EU Council)."

Maas and Barnier leaving

A German hospital is using concerns around Brexit to recruit Polish nurses.

The university hospital of Dusseldorf is in dire need of nursing staff and is capitalising on the lack of clarity around the legal situation of EU residents in the United Kingdom if the UK leaves the European Union on March 29.

"We advertise better food, better weather and of course also with the proximity to Poland, it is a shorter way back home," said Torsten Rantzsch, the director of nursing at the University hospital Duesseldorf.

The hospital is hoping to fill the shortage with professionals whose time in Britain may be running out with its ads printed in two Polish weekly newspapers in Britain last month.

European Union citizens who are currently living and working in Britain under the bloc's free-movement rules are concerned about what will happen to their status if the UK leaves the 27-country bloc.

"Worried about Brexit? Come to Germany!" read the advertisements.

The director of nursing explained that the hospital had a recruitment drive following a strike last year and they still are looking for staff for about 100 additional nurses.

"There is a shortage of around 70,000 nurses in inpatient facilities nationwide," he said.

And nurses from other EU countries can find employment.

Susanna Garcia, a nurse from Spain, said that the job situation in her own country led her to look abroad.

"Here in Germany, they have great working conditions," she said.

Britain's 2016 vote to leave the bloc was followed by an increase in the number of EU medical staff leaving Britain.

Duesseldorf - 12 February 2019

1. Patient arriving on a stretcher via emergency room entrance

2. Nurses looking at a computer screen

3. Doctors and nurses working at desks

4. Torsten Rantzsch looking at papers

5. SOUNDBITE (German) Torsten Rantzsch, director of nursing at the University hospital Duesseldorf:

"We heard about the Polish community's concerns around Brexit and want to use this circumstance for the University Hospital Duesseldorf. With a smile of course, as you saw in the advertisement. We advertise with better food, better weather and of course also with the proximity to Poland, it is a shorter way back home."

6. Various of Polish newspaper "Tydzien Polksi" with University hospital Duesseldorf advertisement "Worried about Brexit? Come to Germany! The University Hospital Dusseldorf is looking for nurses."

7. SOUNDBITE (German) Torsten Rantzsch, director of nursing at the University hospital Duesseldorf:

"As a result of last year's strike, we reached an agreement with the union that we recruit 140 additional nurses at the site, of whom we have already employed around 45 and can still hire a further 100. There is a shortage of around 70,000 nurses in inpatient facilities nationwide, and I am talking about hospitals only here."

8. Nurse Susanna Garcia walking

9. Garcia preparing gear to measure blood pressure

10. Garcia looking at screen

11. SOUNDBITE (German) Susanna Garcia, nurse from Spain:

"I came because of the job situation in Spain. Here in Germany, they have great working conditions. Although we are young, we have full time contracts and great working conditions."

12. Hospital staff member walking

13. Various of Garcia and Rantzsch talking

14. Patient's file

15. SOUNDBITE (German) Torsten Rantzsch, director of nursing at the University hospital Duesseldorf

"We are not primarily concerned with Brexit itself. However, we wanted to offer an alternative to Polish colleagues, namely the security of an EU country."

16. Polish newspaper "Tydzien Polksi" with University hospital Duesseldorf advertisement "Worried about Brexit? Come to Germany! The University Hospital Dusseldorf is looking for nurses."

17 . Hospital staff walking outside

18. Exterior of central emergency room

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4069665

LEAD IN:

Virtual and augmented reality, health technology and mobile tech are taking centre stage at the annual TechCrunch Disrupt startup event in London.

According to a recent report, the British capital remains Europe's biggest tech hub despite the recent 'Leave' EU vote.

Experts say how migration is managed once Britain leaves the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for the city's future tech scene.

STORY-LINE:

During London's 2012 Olympic Games, the Copper Box Arena hosted fencing duels and handball matches.

Four years on, a completely different type of competition is hotting up.

At TechCrunch Disrupt London, an annual tech conference, fledgling companies are competing for venture capitalists' attention in 'Start-Up Alley' and 'Battlefield' areas.

The 'Startup Battlefield' gives entrants the chance to feverishly pitch their company to a panel of judges. The winning team takes away a prize of 50,000 US dollars.

Virtual reality is a hot tech trend currently, but high-cost headsets mean many are yet to sample premium VR content.

Poland-based RiftCat is aiming to change that.

Its developers created PC technology that allows gamers to play high-quality VR games through simple mobile VR viewers like Google Cardboard.

VRidge - as it's called - is intended to act as a bridge between mobile and PC VR content.

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability," explains Marek Antoniuk from RiftCat.

"So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

Hot on the heels of virtual reality, augmented reality - or AR - is becoming a popular topic following the global success of smartphone game 'Pokemon Go'.

Liverpool-based SwapBots created an augmented reality game which seemingly brings simple cardboard toys to life.

Users can combine boxes to create different characters, there's a variety of single and multiplayer games for players to explore.

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life," explains Phil Charnock from SwapBots.

"And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination living on the screen.

"You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

Medtech company xRapid is demonstrating its automated diagnostic smartphone app, designed to diagnose diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Using the smartphone's camera and when connected to a microscope, the app deploys digital imaging and artificial intelligence to analyse smear tests.

It's claimed the technology is particularly useful in remote areas, far from trained doctors or a reliable internet connection.

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients," explains Charles Van Overmeire from xRapid.

Seoul-based Attocube is demonstrating its smartphone-connected wooden blocks, designed to inspire and educate young minds.

Players are challenged to create various letters, numbers and shapes using cubes decorated with different geometric patterns.

The idea is to boost creativity and problem solving while still giving children screen time.

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah," explains Johnny Moon from Attocube.

London-based Firef.ly is demonstrating its mobile travel app which combines planning, guides and journals all in one place.

Users can browse guidebooks, add locations to Buck Lists, shoot and embed videos and photos onto a map, and tailor digital postcards for friends and family back home.

The idea is to provide all smartphone-enabled travellers require in one app.

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story," explains Chad Cribbins from Firef.ly.

"So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time.

"So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

Despite Britain's recent 'Leave' EU vote, London appears to be maintaining its place as Europe's tech capital.

According to the recent 'State of European Tech' report by tech investment firm Atomico, London boasts over 300,000 developers.

French capital Paris came in second with over 134,000 - less than half London's total.

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon," says Mike Butcher from tech website TechCrunch.

Despite that, Butcher says how Britain handles migration once it exits the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for London's startup scene.

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups," he says.

"You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK.

"Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 runs 5-6 December at the Copper Box Arena in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

London, UK - 5 December 2016

1. High wide shot of TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

2. Wide of booths and attendees

3. Tilt down from 'Startup Battlefield' sign to show floor

4. Various of Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat, demonstrating RiftCat VRidge virtual reality technology

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat:

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability. So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

6. Low shot of attendee removing virtual reality headset

7. Various of Phil Charnock, SwapBots, demonstrating SwapBots augmented reality toys

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Charnock, SwapBots:

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life. And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination actually living on the screen. You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

9. Pull out from SwapBots toy to tablet showing augmented reality technology

10. Various of Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid, demonstrating xRapid automated diagnostic app with microscope

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid:

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, we give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients."

12. Various of Johnny Moon, Attocube, demonstrating Attocube smartphone-connected wooden block learning game

13. Tilt up of smartphone showing Attocube app and complete letter 'D'

14. Pull out of blocks showing completed letter 'D'

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Moon, Attocube:

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah."

16. Various of Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly, demonstrating Firef.ly travel smartphone app

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly:

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story. So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time. So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

18. Wide tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

19. Wide of sign, reading (English): 'Startup Battlefield'

20. Various of booths and attendees

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon."

22. Various of booths and attendees

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups. You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK. Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

24. Tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

25. Close of tank robot toy moving

LEAD IN:

Virtual and augmented reality, health technology and mobile tech are taking centre stage at the annual TechCrunch Disrupt startup event in London.

According to a recent report, the British capital remains Europe's biggest tech hub despite the recent 'Leave' EU vote.

Experts say how migration is managed once Britain leaves the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for the city's future tech scene.

STORY-LINE:

During London's 2012 Olympic Games, the Copper Box Arena hosted fencing duels and handball matches.

Four years on, a completely different type of competition is hotting up.

At TechCrunch Disrupt London, an annual tech conference, fledgling companies are competing for venture capitalists' attention in 'Start-Up Alley' and 'Battlefield' areas.

The 'Startup Battlefield' gives entrants the chance to feverishly pitch their company to a panel of judges. The winning team takes away a prize of 50,000 US dollars.

Virtual reality is a hot tech trend currently, but high-cost headsets mean many are yet to sample premium VR content.

Poland-based RiftCat is aiming to change that.

Its developers created PC technology that allows gamers to play high-quality VR games through simple mobile VR viewers like Google Cardboard.

VRidge - as it's called - is intended to act as a bridge between mobile and PC VR content.

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability," explains Marek Antoniuk from RiftCat.

"So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

Hot on the heels of virtual reality, augmented reality - or AR - is becoming a popular topic following the global success of smartphone game 'Pokemon Go'.

Liverpool-based SwapBots created an augmented reality game which seemingly brings simple cardboard toys to life.

Users can combine boxes to create different characters, there's a variety of single and multiplayer games for players to explore.

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life," explains Phil Charnock from SwapBots.

"And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination living on the screen.

"You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

Medtech company xRapid is demonstrating its automated diagnostic smartphone app, designed to diagnose diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Using the smartphone's camera and when connected to a microscope, the app deploys digital imaging and artificial intelligence to analyse smear tests.

It's claimed the technology is particularly useful in remote areas, far from trained doctors or a reliable internet connection.

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients," explains Charles Van Overmeire from xRapid.

Seoul-based Attocube is demonstrating its smartphone-connected wooden blocks, designed to inspire and educate young minds.

Players are challenged to create various letters, numbers and shapes using cubes decorated with different geometric patterns.

The idea is to boost creativity and problem solving while still giving children screen time.

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah," explains Johnny Moon from Attocube.

London-based Firef.ly is demonstrating its mobile travel app which combines planning, guides and journals all in one place.

Users can browse guidebooks, add locations to Buck Lists, shoot and embed videos and photos onto a map, and tailor digital postcards for friends and family back home.

The idea is to provide all smartphone-enabled travellers require in one app.

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story," explains Chad Cribbins from Firef.ly.

"So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time.

"So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

Despite Britain's recent 'Leave' EU vote, London appears to be maintaining its place as Europe's tech capital.

According to the recent 'State of European Tech' report by tech investment firm Atomico, London boasts over 300,000 developers.

French capital Paris came in second with over 134,000 - less than half London's total.

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon," says Mike Butcher from tech website TechCrunch.

Despite that, Butcher says how Britain handles migration once it exits the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for London's startup scene.

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups," he says.

"You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK.

"Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 runs 5-6 December at the Copper Box Arena in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

London, UK - 5 December 2016

1. High wide shot of TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

2. Wide of booths and attendees

3. Tilt down from 'Startup Battlefield' sign to show floor

4. Various of Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat, demonstrating RiftCat VRidge virtual reality technology

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat:

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability. So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

6. Low shot of attendee removing virtual reality headset

7. Various of Phil Charnock, SwapBots, demonstrating SwapBots augmented reality toys

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Charnock, SwapBots:

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life. And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination actually living on the screen. You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

9. Pull out from SwapBots toy to tablet showing augmented reality technology

10. Various of Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid, demonstrating xRapid automated diagnostic app with microscope

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid:

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, we give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients."

12. Various of Johnny Moon, Attocube, demonstrating Attocube smartphone-connected wooden block learning game

13. Tilt up of smartphone showing Attocube app and complete letter 'D'

14. Pull out of blocks showing completed letter 'D'

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Moon, Attocube:

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah."

16. Various of Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly, demonstrating Firef.ly travel smartphone app

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly:

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story. So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time. So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

18. Wide tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

19. Wide of sign, reading (English): 'Startup Battlefield'

20. Various of booths and attendees

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon."

22. Various of booths and attendees

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups. You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK. Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

24. Tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

25. Close of tank robot toy moving

LEAD IN:

Virtual and augmented reality, health technology and mobile tech are taking centre stage at the annual TechCrunch Disrupt startup event in London.

According to a recent report, the British capital remains Europe's biggest tech hub despite the recent 'Leave' EU vote.

Experts say how migration is managed once Britain leaves the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for the city's future tech scene.

STORY-LINE:

During London's 2012 Olympic Games, the Copper Box Arena hosted fencing duels and handball matches.

Four years on, a completely different type of competition is hotting up.

At TechCrunch Disrupt London, an annual tech conference, fledgling companies are competing for venture capitalists' attention in 'Start-Up Alley' and 'Battlefield' areas.

The 'Startup Battlefield' gives entrants the chance to feverishly pitch their company to a panel of judges. The winning team takes away a prize of 50,000 US dollars.

Virtual reality is a hot tech trend currently, but high-cost headsets mean many are yet to sample premium VR content.

Poland-based RiftCat is aiming to change that.

Its developers created PC technology that allows gamers to play high-quality VR games through simple mobile VR viewers like Google Cardboard.

VRidge - as it's called - is intended to act as a bridge between mobile and PC VR content.

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability," explains Marek Antoniuk from RiftCat.

"So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

Hot on the heels of virtual reality, augmented reality - or AR - is becoming a popular topic following the global success of smartphone game 'Pokemon Go'.

Liverpool-based SwapBots created an augmented reality game which seemingly brings simple cardboard toys to life.

Users can combine boxes to create different characters, there's a variety of single and multiplayer games for players to explore.

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life," explains Phil Charnock from SwapBots.

"And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination living on the screen.

"You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

Medtech company xRapid is demonstrating its automated diagnostic smartphone app, designed to diagnose diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Using the smartphone's camera and when connected to a microscope, the app deploys digital imaging and artificial intelligence to analyse smear tests.

It's claimed the technology is particularly useful in remote areas, far from trained doctors or a reliable internet connection.

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients," explains Charles Van Overmeire from xRapid.

Seoul-based Attocube is demonstrating its smartphone-connected wooden blocks, designed to inspire and educate young minds.

Players are challenged to create various letters, numbers and shapes using cubes decorated with different geometric patterns.

The idea is to boost creativity and problem solving while still giving children screen time.

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah," explains Johnny Moon from Attocube.

London-based Firef.ly is demonstrating its mobile travel app which combines planning, guides and journals all in one place.

Users can browse guidebooks, add locations to Buck Lists, shoot and embed videos and photos onto a map, and tailor digital postcards for friends and family back home.

The idea is to provide all smartphone-enabled travellers require in one app.

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story," explains Chad Cribbins from Firef.ly.

"So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time.

"So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

Despite Britain's recent 'Leave' EU vote, London appears to be maintaining its place as Europe's tech capital.

According to the recent 'State of European Tech' report by tech investment firm Atomico, London boasts over 300,000 developers.

French capital Paris came in second with over 134,000 - less than half London's total.

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon," says Mike Butcher from tech website TechCrunch.

Despite that, Butcher says how Britain handles migration once it exits the 28-nation bloc could be pivotal for London's startup scene.

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups," he says.

"You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK.

"Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 runs 5-6 December at the Copper Box Arena in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

London, UK - 5 December 2016

1. High wide shot of TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

2. Wide of booths and attendees

3. Tilt down from 'Startup Battlefield' sign to show floor

4. Various of Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat, demonstrating RiftCat VRidge virtual reality technology

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Marek Antoniuk, RiftCat:

"When you have two branches of virtual reality, the PC VR and mobile VR and they both have their advantages and disadvantages - PC VR is the highest quality, but it's expensive and mobile VR is cheap because you can use your phone and put it, you have only the lenses, but it has not that much capability. So, basically we are making a bridge in between these two worlds."

6. Low shot of attendee removing virtual reality headset

7. Various of Phil Charnock, SwapBots, demonstrating SwapBots augmented reality toys

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Phil Charnock, SwapBots:

"When you're young yourself, you imagine your toys coming to life. And now you can - I won't say replace your imagination - but you can kind of see your imagination actually living on the screen. You can see the toy itself, starting to move around, see them battle with each other and I think that's an incredible thing to be feeding kids' imaginations like that."

9. Pull out from SwapBots toy to tablet showing augmented reality technology

10. Various of Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid, demonstrating xRapid automated diagnostic app with microscope

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Van Overmeire, xRapid:

"We take a blood sample, we use any kind of microscope and with the iPhone app that we developed, we can tell you if you are sick or not, we give all the important details to the doctor to give the right diagnostic and the right treatment to patients."

12. Various of Johnny Moon, Attocube, demonstrating Attocube smartphone-connected wooden block learning game

13. Tilt up of smartphone showing Attocube app and complete letter 'D'

14. Pull out of blocks showing completed letter 'D'

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Johnny Moon, Attocube:

"We created this cube and children learn the alphabet or numbers or images and create different patterns, and they make more and more creative, and (the) brain strengthens, yeah."

16. Various of Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly, demonstrating Firef.ly travel smartphone app

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Cribbins, Firef.ly:

"You look at Facebook, it's great for peeling through somebody's wall, but it's a sporadic hit of a bunch of different things, it doesn't join up the story. So, ours is uniquely dedicated to a journal of your travels, that you can peel back through time. So, all these lines that we capture, over months and months, even just living in London, becomes an interesting narrative for you to hold onto."

18. Wide tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

19. Wide of sign, reading (English): 'Startup Battlefield'

20. Various of booths and attendees

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It still remains, whatever you want to say about Brexit or anything else, London and the UK is still the biggest hub of startup ecosystems in the whole of Europe and that's really not going to change anytime soon."

22. Various of booths and attendees

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Butcher, Editor At Large, TechCrunch:

"It's going to be about talent because migration and skilled migration are hugely at the core of startups. You know, the two things that affect startups are money and talent, and talent is really going to be affected by Brexit, how people get visas, how people access the UK, and how people are able to hire into the UK. Brexit is absolutely the core of this conversation about startups today."

24. Tilt down to TechCrunch Disrupt London 2016 show floor

25. Close of tank robot toy moving

LEAD IN:

Daffodils are going unpicked in the fields of England because of a post-Brexit migrant worker shortage.

Daffodil farmers are facing a triple misery this year, with labour shortages, lack of access to the European market and the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

STORY-LINE:

A field of golden daffodils dancing in the sunshine is one of the signs winter is ending and spring is on the way.

But for flower farmers a sight like this is not a welcome one - they want to cut the stems before the flowers emerge.

There's just one problem, there aren't enough migrant workers available to cut them.

Here on a farm in Lincolnshire, one of the largest flower producing areas in England, a group of 25 Romanians are busy picking.

But these workers are in high demand this year.

Adam Taylor, director of Taylor's Bulbs explains: "Every Spring season we require a certain number of people to crop the cut flowers, the cut daffodils in the field and normally we'd use 150 people (migrant workers) to do that job but those people just are not available, so this year it's 25."

Without the workers to cut the stems the flowers are being left in the field.

In a typical year Taylor's Bulbs would harvest 25 million daffodil stems but is estimating only six million will be cut this year.

Of course, every year there is some inevitable wastage due to the vast sizes of the fields.

Adam Taylor's cousin Sam Taylor, also a director at Taylor's bulbs and takes care of the farming side of the company.

He explains there can never be enough labour.

"Well even if we had a 1,000 pickers in this field we wouldn't harvest all the flowers, it would be impossible, there are millions of flowers in this field, so there are always flowers that are left over but we are picking less flowers than we normally would and again as I said, it's down to two things, partly Brexit, partly COVID," says Sam Taylor.

The worker shortage has been compounded by two main factors. Most importantly, a lack of provision by the government to allow seasonal workers from the EU to enter the UK.

It is permitted for food crops, but ornamental horticulture was initially left out of the scheme.

Adam Taylor says: "The government has come up with a seasonal workers scheme but unfortunately ornamental horticulture was not included in the pilot, we have been promised it will be included in the future but we don't know when exactly that's going to start. So it's presenting us with an issue because we need to plan ahead."

The global pandemic has also seen restrictions to global travel and will have dissuaded many migrant workers from making the trip.

A particularly fast picker can earn up to £180 a day if they work hard. In theory they get paid according to the amount they pick, but all the pickers are protected by a blanket of the UK's national minimum wage.

Sam Taylor explains how it is gruelling physical labour: "Some people are making some really good money so that's why if you're good at it it's really worth doing but it is back breaking work because you're bent double, you're literally bent double, all day, everyday picking. It's not for the faint-hearted, that's for sure. It's not for me I'm afraid."

British people have not been persuaded to try their hand at flower picking, and those that do rarely last more than a couple of days according to farmers.

So for the migrant workers, mostly coming from Romania, it's currently a boom time in the UK.

The demand for labour is far outstripping supply and there are fields and fields full of flowers to be picked.

They are commanding extra value, but the wages can't inflate too highly because daffodils are a cheap product.

Small bunches of stems for home flowering daffodils typically sell for around £1 and the margins for producers and sellers are already tight.

Adam Taylor explains: "There is no doubt about it, there is demand and supply so the prices have had to go up because people know there is a shortage but there is ultimately a ceiling to that because daffodils are an impulse product, they're an affordable cut flower and so the price cannot be ridiculous and there will come a point when we'll just have to say it's not worth it."

Taylor's Bulbs employs 75 full time staff, but can require an extra 200 seasonal workers during busy periods.

Most of the workers in the factory here are British, but in the fields they are nearly all migrant workers from Europe.

Adam Taylor says: "I think for the past 12 months it has been one of the most torrid times in my working life, which I hope there's still plenty more to come. But it has been really difficult and there have been many sleepless nights worrying about what you're going to do. How you're going to solve it."

Taylor's typically sells to large commercial flower markets, who then sell on to the hotels and restaurant industry. However, with the implications of lockdown on the hospitality industry this market has dried up.

Daffodil farmers who have managed to source the labour to pick their flowers are facing a second Brexit misery because of complications exporting to vital European markets.

The German and Irish markets were very important to English daffodil farmers, but they say red tape and delays at the ports are damaging this export trade.

Holbeach, UK - 11 March, 2021

1. Wide zoom to daffodil field

2. Close of daffodils in the field

3. Wide pan right of vast field

Whaplode, UK - 3 March, 2021

4. Wide of migrant workers picking daffodils

5. Mid of a Romanian migrant worker, the fastest picker in the field

6. Close of same

7. Low angle of woman picking

8. Wide of same

Holbeach, UK - 11 March, 2021  

9. Wide pan left of Adam Taylor inspecting flower bulbs in warehouse

10. Mid of same

11. Close of bulbs

12. Close of Adam Taylor

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Taylor, director of Taylor's Bulbs

"Every Spring season we require a certain number of people to crop the cut flowers, the cut daffodils in the fields and normally we'd use 150 people (migrant workers) to do that job but those people just are not available, so this year it's 25."

Whaplode, UK - 3 March, 2021  

14. Various set up shots of farmer Sam Taylor inspecting his daffodil crop

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Taylor, director of Taylor's bulbs

"Well even if we had a thousand pickers in this field we wouldn't harvest all the flowers, it would be impossible, there are millions of flowers in this field, so there are always flowers that are left over but we are picking less flowers than we normally would and again as I said, it's down to two things, partly Brexit, partly COVID."

16. Wide high shot pans right over daffodil field and migrant workers

17. Low angle tilts down of Romanian worker picking daffodils

18. Mid of same

19. Close of cut flowers ready for packing

20. Wide of packing crates and migrant workers

Holbeach, UK - 11 March, 2021    

21.  SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Taylor, director of Taylor's Bulbs

"The government has come up with a seasonal workers scheme but unfortunately ornamental horticulture was not included in the pilot, we have been promised it will be included in the future but we don't know when exactly when that's going to start. So it's presenting us with an issue because we need to plan ahead."

Whaplode, UK - 3 March, 2021    

22. Mid of migrant worker picking

23. Close of same

24. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Taylor, director of Taylor's bulbs

"Some people are making some really good money so that's why if you're good at it it's definitely worth doing but it is back breaking work because you're bent double, you're literally bent double, all day, everyday picking. It's not for the faint-hearted, that's for sure. It's not for me I'm afraid."

25. Mid of worker cutting stems

26. Wide of same

27. Wide of migrant workers in the field

28. Rear view of workers

Holbeach, UK - 11 March, 2021    

29.  SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Taylor, director of Taylor's Bulbs

"There is no doubt about it, there is demand and supply so the prices have had to go up because people know there is a shortage but there is ultimately a ceiling to that because daffodils are an impulse product, they're an affordable cut flower and so the price cannot be ridiculous and there will come a point when we'll just have to say it's not worth it."

30. Various of women workers and machinery inside the bulb and flower factory

31. Various walking shots of Adam Taylor

32.  SOUNDBITE: (English) Adam Taylor, director of Taylor's Bulbs

"I think for the past 12 months it has been one of the most torrid times in my working life, which I hope there's still plenty more to come. But it has been really difficult and there have been many sleepless nights worrying about what you're going to do. How you're going to solve it."

Whaplode, UK - 3 March, 2021

33. Wide of daffodil field  

34. Close of daffodils

35. Pull focus of pale variety of daffodil

LEAD IN:

Britons living in Spain are adjusting to a post-Brexit reality, which means they must apply for residency or stay fewer than 90 days at a time.

There are also consequences for education.

STORY-LINE:

The dream of a life on Spain's Costa del Sol has become a nightmare for many British expats.

Henny Illingworth is a British real estate agent who has been living in here for almost four years.

She, like many others, is uncertain of her position and future in a post-Brexit Spain.

"Previously, as an EU citizen in Spain, I had the right to be here and now I just have permission to stay. It does feel a big difference and it feels that there has been a huge amount of uncertainty, misinformation the last few years.  It leaves us feeling am I safe? Am I stable here? It's not a very nice feeling to live with," says Illingworth.

As a "third country" to the EU, British tourists, including people who have second homes in Spain but haven't taken residency, can no longer come and go as they please.

Since 1st January, British people living in or visiting Spain must register as resident, or apply for the appropriate visa.

If you were legally resident in Spain before 1 January 2021, 'your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement', according to the UK Government's website, 'children must also be registered with their own residency document'.

The British government also advises Britons to register for healthcare as a resident in Spain.

British driving licences will need to be changed to Spanish ones for people who have registered as resident, with a deadline of 30 June 2021, according to the UK Government's website.

British citizens, who are not registered Spanish residents, can spend up to three months out of every six in Spain. It's the so called 90/180-days rule which refers to not spending more than '90-days in any 180-day period' in the Schengen area.

As an estate agent, Illingworth says that many Brits who spent months in Spain every year are staying away, some are selling their Spanish properties, put off by both recent COVID-19 travel restrictions and Brexit rules.

"We actually have some properties up for sale which were previously,  they are known as British "swallows", they would come over for a few months of the year and some of those people then rent out their properties for business during the summer, some of then leave them empty. But now, British citizens are going to have to follow this strict 90/180-day rule, which before they could come over for five or four months and some people are selling up because it's just not worth it for them."

Others are worried about how their British families will be able to visit them in Spain.

Kirsty Ridyard has been living in Malaga since 2005 and her sister has a holiday home in the Axarquia, near Alcaucin, 45 minutes by car from Malaga.

She has several concerns.

"Personal and professionally it is going to affect me. Professionally we cannot get the products that we need to teach chemistry effectively in Spain because they are sourced in Britain and those are so expensive over there now, it's going to be prohibitive," she says.

"And personally, I just don't know what it's going to happen with the transport. It used to be like hopping on a bus getting on a plane to go to London and getting back, for me and my family who are still there. But now we just don't know if we are going to need visas or not."

Increased education costs are also worrying one of her students, Spaniard Victoria Rincon, who was hoping to go to the UK to study, but says that UK fees are too expensive.


"I have applied (to universities) in England, but I think I will not go because the fees are too high. And I think that is what is happening to a lot of people in Europe. We are going to miss their education in England because of the price. And then, I think I'm going to Netherlands."


James John Riley is 51 years-old and was born in Manchester. He came to Malaga, Spain, 20 years ago, as a teacher of geography and history in the British International school, his wife is also British and a teacher.

Their son, Jaime, is 13 years-old.

The family enjoys life in Spain, but they are worried about the future and whether Brexit will bring problems for Jaime's education.

"Now, unfortunately, it seems to be that it is more difficult for him to go to British university, even though he has got British passport and both of his parents are British. And it seems to be, even though I've looked a lot on the internet and I've gone on the UK gov (government) website I can not find the information about this and it seems to be from other sources. they're saying he will be classed as an international student," says Riley.

Almost 50 percent of British expats in Spain live in the two regions of Alicante (Costa Blanca) and Malaga (Costa del Sol).

There are now more than 360,000 British residents registered in Spain, according to official Spanish figures.

18 million British tourists visited Spain each year between 2017 and 2019.

But the tourism industry here has been hit by both Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aaron Lopez is the manager of Doctor Livingston bar in Malaga's city center. He says that tourism has dropped by 70 percent due to the pandemic.

"In the center of Malaga we notice it. We work with tourism, and since we do not have tourism, sales have dropped, employment has dropped, and invoicing has dropped", says Lopez.

The people of the Costa del Sol are looking forward to a post pandemic future when airplanes and cruise ships will return tourists to Spain's sunshine coast, though there many be fewer Brits who turn their holiday into a lifestyle.

Rincon de la Victoria, Malaga, Spain - 23 February 2021


1. Zoom out of real estate agent Henny Illingworth walking on beach
2. Mid of Illingworth asking for cappuccino on a coffee terrace 
3. Various of Illingworth drinking coffee while looking at the sea
4. Cutaway of a black & white mural in the bar which shows women playing at the beach
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Henny Illingworth, real estate agent:
"Previously, as an EU citizen in Spain, I had the right to be here and now I just have permission to stay. It does feel a big difference and it feels that there has been a huge amount of uncertainty, misinformation the last few years.  It leaves us feeling am I safe? Am I stable here? It's not a very nice feeling to live with."


6. Wide of a closed ice cream shop and buildings on the sea front 
7. Wide of empty tennis pitch, buildings and the sea
8. Mid of a street sign
9. Mid of people walking and cycling next to the beach

Alcaucin, Malaga, Spain - 24 February 2021

10. Various of real state company signs advertising houses and apartments to rent and to sell 


Rincon de la Victoria, Malaga, Spain - 23 February 2021

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Henny Illingworth, real estate agent:
"We actually have some properties up for sale which were previously,  they are known as British "swallows", they would come over for a few months of the year and some of those people then rent out their properties for business during the summer, some of then leave them empty. But now, British citizens are going to have to follow this strict 90/180-day rule, which before they could come over for five or four months and some people are selling up because it's just not worth it for them."

Alcaucin, Malaga, Spain - 24 February 2021

12. Wide of a man shopping in a supermarket specialising in British products
13. Tilt down from the man taking a product and putting it in the basket
14. Cutaway of corned beef can
15. Cutaway of stewed steak can and chilli can 
16. Tilt down of man paying
17. Wide of people in line to pay at the supermarket
18. Mid of a man taking things out of a delivery box


Malaga, Spain - 18 February 2021

19. Mid of UK and Spain flags on a balcony
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirsty Ridyard, director of Phoenix College Malaga:
"Personal and professionally it is going to affect me. Professionally we cannot get the products that we need to teach chemistry effectively in Spain because they are sourced in Britain and those are so expensive over there now, it's going to be prohibitive. And personally, I just don't know what it's going to happen with the transport. It used to be like hopping on a bus getting on a plane to go to London and getting back, for me and my family who are still there. But now we just don't know if we are going to need visas or not."


21. Various of students taking biology lessons in Phoenix College 
22. Tilt up from chemistry bottles to student Victoria Rincon
23. Wide of Victoria Rincon and an another student during chemistry class
24. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Victoria Rincon, 18 years-old, student:
"I have applied (to universities) in England, but I think I will not go because the fees are too high. And I think that is what is happening to a lot of people in Europe. We are going to miss their education in England because of the price. And then, I think I'm going to Netherlands."


Malaga, Spain - 23 February 2021

25. Pan right of teacher James Riley and his son Jaime shopping in Atarazanas market 
26. Mid of James Riley and his son Jaime having shrimps at a bar terrace
27. Tilt down from Manchester City banner to James Riley walking through his house
28. Mid of James Riley reading musical magazine which shows David Bowie on the front
29. Mid of James Riley reading magazine while his son Jaime plays the guitar
30. Various of James Riley showing their passports. It reads (English) "European Union" and "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"
31. SOUNDBITE (English) James Riley, teacher:
"Now, unfortunately, it seems to be that it is more difficult for him to go to British university, even though he has got British passport and both of his parents are British. And it seems to be, even though I've looked a lot on the internet and I've gone on the UK gov (government) website I can not find the information about this and it seems to be from other sources. they're saying he will be classed as an international student."


Malaga, Spain - February 18th, 2021

32. Wide of Malaga's shopping street, Calle Larios
33. Wide of souvenir shop closed while an elderly couple rolls a suitcase down the street 
34. Wide of Irish pub 
35. Mid of two women having a beer
36. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Aaron Lopez, Bar manager:
"From one day to the next, it (tourism) has dropped by 70 percent and in the center of Malaga we notice it. We work with tourism, and since we do not have tourism, sales have dropped, employment has dropped, and invoicing has dropped."


37. Wide inside flamenco dress shop
38. Close of kids' flamenco shoes
39. Cutaway of Malaga souvenirs

40. Wide of Malaga's port, empty of yachts

French authortities insisted that Brexit would not result in a bottleneck at the border, as cross-Channel traffic stayed light on Friday following the overnight shift in relations between the European Union and Britain.

However, Jean Marc Thillier, Director of the Customs for the region around Calais said later in the month is when the traffic situatiuon should be re-assessed, as the holidays will be over.

"Today, the organization that we've put into place, the different actors who are working for the lorries' crossing, the computerized tools worked perfectly with what is weak traffic, therefore we are waiting for what I'd call a trial by fire, a bit more useful, that's going to come in the coming days."

Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Ports of Calais/Boulogne-Sur-Mer, said what was sure is that the 'sentimental atmosphere" had changed.

"To see Great Britain once again, being really only 36 kilometers away from us, separated by water,  it's once again becoming a third country, a foreign country," he said.

Meanewhile, a steady trickle of trucks rolled off ferries and trains on either side of the English Channel on Friday, a quiet New Year’s Day after a seismic overnight shift in relations between the European Union and Britain.

Britain left the European bloc’s vast single market for people, goods and services at 11 p.m. London time, midnight in Brussels, on Thursday, in the biggest single economic change the country has experienced since World War II.

A new U.K.-EU trade deal will bring new restrictions and red tape, but for British Brexit supporters, it means reclaiming national independence from the EU and its web of rules.

Calais - 1 January 2021

1. Wide of ferry arriving from Dover filmed from Calais Port, the first ferry whose hauliers have filled in the new post Brexit-transition customs paperwork

2. Various of lorries driving off the ferry

3. Exit sign inside the Calais Port

4. News conference with port officials poised to start

5. SOUNDBITE (French) Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Ports of Calais/Boulogne-Sur-Mer:

"Brexit, and this is what I want to say and will say again, is not a synonym for "congestion" as we say in English nor a synonym for traffic disruption, but everyone must do their work."

6. Wide of trucks exiting port

7. SOUNDBITE (French) Jean Marc Thillier, Regional Director of Customs:

"Today, the organization that we've put into place, the different actors who are working for the lorries' crossing, the computerized tools worked perfectly with what is weak traffic, therefore we are waiting for what I'd call a trial by fire, a bit more useful, that's going to come in the coming days."

8. Wide of journalists at port

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Ports of Calais/Boulogne-Sur-Mer:

"In three years, we are thinking, working, expecting. Two weeks ago we did not know how it will be. Some days we thought it will be no deal. I think it will be no deal because don't forget we are also leading the port of Boulogne which depends a lot on the authorization to fish in the British waters. Today we know everything so we are satisfied because we know that there is a deal. But deal or no deal for us does not change anything. England, Great Britain, UK is becoming a third country and when it's a third country, you need to have customs declarations. There is no longer the same rules. We will not be able to take ten bottles of whiskey, that's all. We will take only one."

10. Lorries emerging from ferry arriving from Dover

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Ports of Calais/Boulogne-Sur-Mer:

"There is one, really only one condition. That the hauliers make their e-declaration before they leave their country. That will be controlled (checked he means) in Calais, if they don't have this declaration they will not take the ferry. That has to be done in Dover and controlled by the ferry companies. If there is no declaration they will not arrive in Calais. That will make 99 percent of the job."

12. Lorries driving off ferry

13. SOUNDBITE (French) Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Ports of Calais/Boulogne-Sur-Mer:

"Yes, the sentimental atmosphere has changed a bit. We had become so used to practically taking the metro, with the boats using an identity card to go to the United Kingdom. It's changed, it's no longer the same. Sentimentally, honestly, when you're a Calaisian, to see Great Britain once again, being really only 36 kilometers away from us, separated by water,  it's once again becoming a third country, a foreign country. But you know, nevertheless, we have a great friendship with them, we like the English very much because they enable us to work, through the port, they are our largest client. What we really hope is that the Corona virus will soon be behind us, that we'll have all the possible vaccines and that normal life will return because for the past three years we have had the Brexit virus but today we know exactly what's going to happen so you know I think we have envisaged practically everything and we are used to it and we are even liberated, we know how we are going to work. The remaining problem now is the Corona virus and that's very important for us because it's more or less six, seven, eight million passengers who are no longer coming because of the Corona virus. The Calais port is going to lose 30 million euros in turnover this year because of the Corona virus. Our luck is that we also have boats that bring in freight so we're continuing to live, to work."

14. Ferry poised to depart to Dover

15. Trucks driving on to ferry

Strict COVID-19 rules urging people to stay at home were in place in London on the first morning of the new year, 2021.

The start of the new year also marked end of the so-called 'transition period' since Britain's departure from the European Union 11 months ago.

Londoners reacted to the end of the Brexit transition period, many citing the the challenges they expect it will present.

"I think it (Brexit) is a disaster, among many disasters this year", said 32-year-old doctor Matt Steel.

"I don't really see any positives in it to be honest", he said.

"I feel like they don't like foreigners and they just want us out", said Luisa Oliveira, a 26-year-old nurse from Portugal.

Britain left the European bloc’s vast single market for people, goods and services at 11 p.m. London time, midnight in Brussels, on Thursday, in the biggest single economic change the country has experienced since World War II.

A new UK-EU trade deal will bring new restrictions and red tape, but for British Brexit supporters, it means reclaiming national independence from the EU and its web of rules.

The trade agreement sealed on Christmas Eve after months of tense negotiations ensures that Britain and the EU can continue to buy and sell goods without tariffs or quotas.

But companies face sheaves of new costs and paperwork, including customs declarations and border checks.

London, United Kingdom - 1 January 2021

1. Various of newspapers

2. Close of sign telling people to wear face masks

3. Wide of small shop with fresh fruit and vegetables

4. Me of COVID-19 instructions for customers entering

a shop

5. Wide of people walking across Westminster Bridge

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Luisa Oliveira, 26-year-old nurse from Portugal:

"I feel like they don't like foreigners and they just want us out."

7. Wide of Westminster Bridge

8. Close of Big Ben with British flag in the foreground

9. Wide of Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster/The Houses of Parliament

10. Wide of the The Palace of Westminster with a "London Souvenirs" stand in the foreground

11. Wide of the London Eye

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Matt Steel, 32-year-old Doctor/GP from the UK:

"I think it (Brexit) is a disaster, among many disasters this year. Yeah, it is a crappy deal and yeah, I don't really see any positives in it to be honest."

13. Wide of red London bus driving through Parliament Square

14. Close of British flag

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Alex Jomiru, 28-year-old lorry driver from Romania:

"I see this (Brexit) as a problem, it is a problem for the Great Britain economy, because the delivery of the goods from Europe, maybe there is something, restrictions, something... I think it is a problem, because deliveries are not so good to go to the United Kingdom."

16. Various of Winston Churchill statue

17. Wide of London from Westminster Bridge

18. Wide of the London Eye from Westminster Bridge

19. Wide pan from The Palace of Westminster to Westminster Bridge

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4045006

LEAD IN:

Scientists controlling EU projects worth millions of dollars say the British exit from Europe risks the future of medical research, and may endanger future treatments for cancer and children.

Research projects at Kings and University Colleges in London rely on the collaboration of hundreds of doctors and multidisciplinary scientists across Europe - which could come under threat because of Brexit.

STORY-LINE:

Precision medicine is changing the future for cancer patients.

This lab at University College London has devised a safer and simpler alternative to standard radioactive techniques of imaging tumours.

Professor Xavier Golay's team has discovered a way to make a tumour light up with a simple sugar solution.

Because the solution is not radioactive is doesn't carry the same side effects which make patients sick.

It means radiodlogists can see tumours in more detail and check them more frequently.

That in turn allows doctors to personalise drug treatments for the patient.

They can respond more quickly, seeing what works and what doesn't and that speed could save more lives.

The team here is about to begin a trial on the new imaging technique thanks to a six and a half million Euro grant from the European Union.

The whole university has 103-million Euros to fund medical and science projects over the next few years.

All currently funded projects will be allowed to complete - but it's what happens next that's vexing doctors and scientist who argue breakthroughs don't come to order at the end of one trial.

Golay says for the vast majority of scientists in Britain the result of the recent EU referendum - for the UK to exit - was a shock.

Golay says it's not just the money which will risk future projects like this.

His team - like most university and hospital research groups - comes from all over the European Union.

Collaboration on this imaging project is with other specialist scientists at the Max Planck Institute in Germany as well as other units including France and Italy.

He's already concerned about the future.

"I've heard of at least two, three very senior people who've said okay right, now I'm taking all my grant with me and I'm going back to Germany, Switzerland, France because actually, in that way, they know they'll still have access and it's not only access to funding because the funding is great in this country, it is really good. It's really (about) access to funding and this opportunity to collaborate."

At preschool age Rens Van Velzen's parents realised he was struggling with dyslexia, but when he went to school it became clear he was autistic.

Van Velzen, now a highly intelligent fifteen year old, is part of Europe's largest study into mental health disorder.

Here researchers like Hannah Haywood combine genetics, neuroimaging, cognitive testing and clinical assessments to try to discover what are the causes.

The research project called EU Aims is carried out here at Kings College London in collaboration with scientists in other centres of Europe.

Costing 32 million Euros it's also the biggest grant given to any one project.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental problem which affects the way people interact with the world around them.

People are affected differently and scientists want to understand why those differences occur.

Haywood says: "One can go on to a life where they never speak, they are highly affected and quite disabled. Another person can go on (to be) fully verbal and become a professor at Cambridge (University) and someone else can go on and live a full life with marriage and children, why does that happen? Why does it affect people so differently when it's effectively the same condition. So we're trying to answer those questions, we're trying to understand why it affects different people in different ways and I think the thing that really attracted me to the project is because, we're trying to highlight the great skills and strengths in this group as well as the things that people find difficult."

The goal is to identify biomarkers and develop drug treatments.

It's a long term study, but how long can it continue here and what happens to the research after the current funding ends in 2020?

Rens Van Velzen is already preparing for A-levels in maths, chemistry and physics.

But his autism means life outside the classroom is not always straightforward.

He explains: "Quite often when talking peer to peer, the other person can get frustrated with how I respond because they're (I'm) not responding the way that they're expecting me to respond as the people usually do. So quite often I don't pick up someone's annoyed, or that sort of thing. It's very hard to explain because I haven't had the experience of not having autism."

Haywood, like others on the team, is convinced the project must be protected and fears Britain leaving the EU will end large scale endeavours like this which progress more steadily because of the wide collaboration among doctors and scientists.

She says: "Quite often there can be a lot of negativity around being diagnosed and living with the condition and in my work, I've worked with autism for twelve years, I have met some of the most skilled and highly intelligent people."

Van Velzen has been part of the study since it started.

Now he's hoping for a career in astrophysics.

"I think I'll work on either discove