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

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

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

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

London - 3 September 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Cutaway

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

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

8. Cutaway

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

14. Cutaway

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

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

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

Summer recess is over, and Britain's parliament reconvenes on Tuesday to face a momentous decision about whether to intervene to try to prevent a possible "no-deal" exit from the European Union.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has taken steps to suspend parliament during part of the period before the October 31st Brexit deadline, giving legislators little time to try to rush through legislation designed to prevent a disorderly departure.

They face a formidable challenge.

Johnson is also getting tough with members of his Conservative Party who oppose his Brexit plans.

The so-called "rebels", including Phillip Hammond, David Gauke, Rory Stewart and Dominic Grieve, were being warned on Monday they will be suspended from the party if they take part in efforts led by opposition parties in parliament meant to block a departure from the European Union without a deal.

Johnson called a meeting of his cabinet on Monday to develop a response to the opposition-led manoeuvre amid speculation he will call an election soon if he loses the vote in the House of Commons.

Joelle Grogan, a senior lecturer in Constitutional and European Union Law, said for a general election to be called early there must be motion brought by the government and two thirds of the House of Commons must vote in favour of it.

"If Boris Johnson isn't able to secure two thirds of the House of Commons there won't be an early general election," Grogan explained.

But Grogan added that a potential vote of no confidence would begin a two-week period in which either an alternative government will try and be formed or Boris Johnson's government will try and regain confidence of the house.

"If after that two-week period there is no alternative government and there's no confidence found for Boris Johnson's government, then there will be a general election triggered automatically."

Labour Party officials are expected to seek an "emergency debate" so that an extension to the Brexit deadline can be discussed in the House of Commons.

The plan is to introduce binding legislation that, if passed, would force the prime minister to seek an extension to the October 31st deadline even though he has said he is determined to leave the EU on that date regardless of whether there is a deal with the bloc's nations.

The role of House of Commons Speaker John Bercow will be important in determining when and how any debate unfolds.

The speaker plays an impartial role in the British system, although Bercow last week criticized Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament for longer than usual before the Brexit deadline as a "constitutional outrage."

He has been an outspoken advocate for parliament playing an active role in setting Brexit policy.

This is not usually a fast process.

A bill introduced in the House of Commons, the lower chamber of parliament, gets two "readings" - one with a debate - before it goes to a committee stage, during which every clause is discussed and amendments can be made.

It then goes back to the House of Commons for more debate and possibly more amendments, which can be made by any legislator, and then is voted on at the end of a "third reading."

If the bill is supported, it goes to the upper House of Lords for a similar series of phases, with differing rules about when amendments can be offered.

Parliament's website makes clear this process can be very slow, and is subject to filibuster tactics: "All suggested amendments have to be considered, if a member wishes, and members can discuss an issue for as long as they want."

If the Lords have made amendments to the bill, it is then sent back to the Commons for further consideration.

If the Lords haven't made changes, the bill is sent to Queen Elizabeth II for "royal assent" and becomes law.

The queen's approval is seen as a formality and doesn't have to be given in person.

Johnson's backers in parliament can slow the legislative process down with amendments and with filibustering speeches that can go on for hours, in effect "playing out the clock" during the period before Parliament is suspended, which can begin as early as September 9.

Parliament is set to reconvene shortly before the Brexit deadline, but those opposed to a "no-deal" departure say any legislation should be passed this week.

Parliament normally doesn't sit on Fridays or on weekends, but that could be changed given the current time pressure.

The prime minister also has stopped short of formally committing the government to abiding by parliament's wishes if legislation is passed.

Cabinet Minister Michael Gove, who is playing a key role in Brexit preparations, said the government would wait and see what, if any, legislation is passed before deciding its response.

As things stand, Britain will leave the EU on October 31 unless it seeks an extension and the other 27 EU nations approve.

If parliament instructs the government to request an extension but is ignored, it would set off a constitutional clash of major proportions.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 2 September 2019

1. Various of the Houses of Parliament

2. Middlesex University London

3. Middlesex University London sign

4. Joelle Grogan, Senior lecturer at the Middlesex University walking

5. Grogan walking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Joelle Grogan, Senior Lecturer in Constitutional and European Union Law :

"This is probably going to be the most momentous week in parliamentary history if not, British constitutional history, at least since the referendum. So the parliament is going to come back, after summer recess, it's going to be the first day in which they'll have the possibility to legislate to either avoid a no-deal Brexit, or to stop their own suspension through prorogation. Now, remember they only have a couple of days between coming back, being up to debate and legislate, and then being prorogued, or suspended where the whole session ends. Another reason is that's is a very, very big week is that at least three cases in Edinburgh, Belfast and London are coming to be heard. These cases will decide whether or not parliament is going to be prorogued."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chantilly - 18 July 2019

7. Phillip Hammond, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, walking in Jeu de Paume hotel where G7 meeting was taking place

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Phillip Hammond, former Chancellor of the Exchequer:

(reacting to journalist's question on the Office for Budget Responsibility fiscal risk report)

"I greatly fear the impact on our economy and our public finances of the kind of no-deal Brexit that is realistically being discussed now."

UK POOL

London - 23 July 2019

9. Various of former UK Justice Secretary David Gauke arriving at 10 Downing Street for former PM Theresa May's last cabinet meeting

UK POOL

London - 11 June 2019

10. Various of former Conservative leadership contender Rory Steward launching leadership campaign

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rory Steward, former Conservative leadership contender:

"I do not believe in promising what we cannot deliver. And I do not believe in pretending that you're going to get some new deal out of Europe before 31 October. I don't believe in pretending that there is something called no-deal that you're going to be able to drive through parliament."

UK POOL

London - 11 January 2019

12. Former UK attorney general and pro-EU Conservative MP Dominic Grieve walking onto stage to give speech

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Dominic Grieve, pro-EU Conservative MP

"Parliamentarians do have some duties and one of them is to prevent people committing national suicide. A no-deal Brexit does that, and cannot address the issues that we have."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 2 September 2019

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Joelle Grogan, Senior Lecturer in Constitutional and European Union Law:

"The government cannot ignore an act of parliament. For government to ignore an act of parliament this would be illegal. This would be a violation of the rule of law in the UK. However, and we might see this, the government might advise the Queen not to give assent to the law. Now legally that's possible because the Queen does give royal assent to bills to become law upon the advice of government. But this would turn in a very important question which is one of confidence. The Queen must have confidence that the prime minister has the confidence of the House of Commons to actually make those big decisions in terms of advice."

15. Cutaway

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Joelle Grogan, Senior Lecturer in Constitutional and European Union Law:

"For a general election to be called early, there must be motion brought by the government and two thirds of the House of Commons must vote in favour of it. If Boris Johnson isn't able to secure two thirds of the House of Commons there won't be an early general election. Now, the 31st of October is a key date because that is set in stone. The only way in which that date, and that's the date at which the UK would withdraw from the European Union currently on no-deal Brexit terms, is if the UK parliament directs the UK government to go to the European Council on the 17th and 18th of October and to request a further extension. Now the important qualification about that, is there must be unanimity. Every single other member state must vote unanimously in favour of an extension, or well, it's the 31st of October at which point there'll be a no-deal Brexit."

11. People entering University

12. SOUNDBITE (English), Joelle Grogan, Senior Lecturer in Constitutional and European Union Law:

"Last week I would have said impossible, but we're in impossible and unprecedented times. What I would say is in order to call a general election he must have that two thirds majority to support it. Alternatively, we might see a vote of no confidence. Now if there's a vote of no confidence that will begin a two-week period in which either an alternative government will try and be formed or Boris Johnson's government will try and regain confidence of the house. If after that two-week period there is no alternative government and there's no confidence found for Boris Johnson's government, then there will be a general election triggered automatically. Now the minimum amount of time for a general election is five weeks. However, Boris Johnson as the incumbent Prime Minister would have the power to decide that date. We could see a general election appearing just before or even just after the point of withdrawal."

13. Various of the Houses of Parliament

14. Various of sign reading (English) "Brexit Now"

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party on Tuesday unveiled its plan to win over Labour voters in next month's European Parliament elections.

Addressing supporters in London, Farage said the party would be campaigning in "predominantly Labour areas" including south Wales, the Midlands and the north of England.

Farage said "61 percent of Labour MPs represent Brexit constituencies".

Britain was supposed to have left the European Union before the European elections, which take place in late May in every EU nation.

But with Britain's parliament still deadlocked over whether to approve the government's divorce deal with the bloc, EU leaders have postponed the Brexit deadline until 31 October.

Winning candidates from Britain will only get to serve as long as their country remains in the EU.

Britain's ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labour party are unenthusiastic about running in the European Parliament election, where they are likely to be punished by disgruntled voters.

But pro-Brexit and pro-EU parties are eager to run in a contest seen by many as a way to express their strongly divergent views on the EU.

Farage, who formerly led the UK Independence Party and has sat in the European Parliament since 1999, was instrumental in helping the Leave side win Britain's 2016 referendum on EU membership.

UK POOL

London - 23 April 2019

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

1. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage arrives at news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Brexit Party leader:

"We got going Friday week back. We already have 67,000 registered supporters paying their £25 pounds (35 US dollars) each. So we've got good numbers coming to us and we've got the beginnings of a financial foundation that we're going to need for this great battle that lies ahead of us."

3. Wide of news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, Brexit Party leader:

"I will, as the leader of the party, be spending most of my time in south Wales, in the Midlands, and in the north of England, in predominantly Labour areas. You see, 61 percent of Labour MPs represent Brexit constituencies. Of the 25 most marginal seats the Labour party holds, 20 of them are Leave constituencies. Of the 45 seats in England and Wales that Labour absolutely have to win to form a majority, 40 of them are Brexit constituencies. There are five million people out there that voted (Labour party leader) Jeremy Corbyn, that voted for Brexit as well. And that's going to be our task. I think we'll go on squeezing the Conservative vote. I think we'll go on squeezing the UKIP vote down to virtually nothing, but I think a big target for this party is to say 'look, Brexit is not about left or right, it's about right or wrong'. Brexit is about us being a fully functioning democratic nation, a normal country, and we are going to go after that Labour vote in a very big way."

5. Farage taking his seat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London - 14 March 2019

1. Tilt down of UK Parliament building and protesters

2. UKIP supporters demonstrating

3. UKIP supporter with umbrella

4. Close of umbrella

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

6. Various of UKIP leader Gerrard Batten

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

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

8. Various of UKIP placards

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

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

++NIGHT SHOTS++

10. Protesters outside Parliament

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

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

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

13. EU and UKIP flags

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

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

15. Leave and remain protesters

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

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

17. EU flag

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

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

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

20. Police clearing area

21. Police and protesters

The deputy leader of the UK's opposition Labour Party said on Wednesday that when Parliament resumes in October it must focus on securing a public vote on Brexit before a general election.

Tom Watson warned a snap general election before the end of the year "could fail to solve Brexit chaos."

"The only way to break the Brexit deadlock once and for all is a public vote in a referendum," Watson said.

He said he and many others respected the result of the 2016 referendum "for a very long time".

"That years-old plebiscite is no longer a valid basis on which to take such a momentous decision about the future of the United Kingdom," he said.

He said Labour must campaign unequivocally to remain in the European Union.

"I don't believe there is such thing as a good Brexit deal," he said.

This puts him at odds with the stance of the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn who pledged to hold a second referendum on leaving the EU if his Labour Party wins the next general election with a "credible" leave option and the chance to remain both on the ballot paper.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain must leave the EU at the end of October, with or without a divorce deal smoothing out post-Brexit trade.

++CLIENTS PLEASE USE THIS VERSION WHICH ADDS SOUNDBITES IN SHOTS 6. AND 7.++

UK POOL

London - 11 September 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"Once Parliament is returned from the five week prorogation on which we unbelievably now find ourselves in, our first priority must be to prevent a disastrous no-deal Brexit. The reasons why are almost literally too numerous to list."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings are determined to drive the nation off the cliff of no-deal and they failed to prepare for it. People will suffer in pain and distress who shouldn't have to because of medicine shortages. People may die who don't have to. Every relevant professional organisation has said so. Once we've stopped a disastrous no- deal Brexit, our next priority should be a confirmatory public vote on where Britain goes from here."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"I and many others respected the result of the 2016 referendum for a very long time. But there eventually comes a point, and we are very far past it now, when circumstances are so changed, when so much new information has emerged, when so many people now feel differently, there comes a point when you have to say 'actually, no'. That years-old plebiscite is no longer a valid basis on which to take such a momentous decision about the future of the United Kingdom. The only proper way to proceed in such circumstances is to consult the people again in a referendum with a credible option to leave and remain on the ballot paper as Labour have committed to do. Why are Boris Johnson's Tory factions so terrified of that? If there is still a majority for Brexit, what do they have to fear?"

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"So let's deal with Brexit in a referendum where every person can have their say and then come together and fight an election on Labour's positive social agenda on our own terms, not on Boris Johnson's Brexit 'do or die'."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"Boris Johnson has already conceded that the Brexit crisis can only be solved by the British people, but the only way to break the Brexit deadlock once and for all is a public vote in a referendum. A general election could fail to solve Brexit chaos."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"We should unambiguously and unequivocally back remain. We should back remain not for electoral or tactical reasons but because it is a right thing to do for the country at this time of greatest crisis since the Second World War."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"I don't believe there is such thing as a good Brexit deal, which is why I think we should advocate for remain. It is what the overwhelming majority of the Labour Party members, MPs and Trade Unionists believe too."

++BLACK FRAMES++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Watson, UK Labour Party deputy leader:

"I can't see much doubt that Boris Johnson is the most disgraceful Conservative politician of his generation, worse than Margaret Thatcher, I would say in the scale of damage he's trying to do to the country; his naked contempt for democratic institutions not just the EU but the UK Parliament, the British constitution, the Conservative Party. He's trying to trash them all."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

In a major concession, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday offered lawmakers the chance to vote on whether to hold a new referendum on the country's membership in the European Union - but only if it backs her thrice-rejected Brexit agreement.

May made the offer as part of attempts to persuade Parliament to back a divorce agreement that will allow the U.K. to leave the EU in an orderly fashion.

She plans to ask the House of Commons to vote in early June on a withdrawal agreement bill, in what she called a "last chance" to seal a Brexit deal.

In a speech Tuesday, May said the bill would include "a requirement to vote on whether to hold a second referendum and this must take place before the Withdrawal Agreement can be ratified."

"I do not believe that this is a route that we should take … but I recognise the genuine and sincere strength of feeling" on the issue, she said.

But the referendum will only happen if Parliament backs the bill and it becomes law, something that still seems unlikely.

Britain was due to leave the EU on March 29, but the bloc extended the deadline until Oct. 31 amid the political impasse.

Talks on securing a compromise between May's Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party broke down last week.

May says she will try again the week of June 3 by asking lawmakers to vote on a withdrawal agreement bill implementing the departure terms.

She has tried to secure backing from lawmakers with promises to maintain high standards on as workers' rights and environmental protections _ issues that are priorities for the left-of-center Labour Party.

She also said lawmakers would get to decide how close a trade relationship to seek with the EU after Brexit, in a concession to Labour's demands for a customs union.

UK POOL

London - 21 May 2019

1. Theresa May, British Prime Minister, stepping on stage

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, British Prime Minister:

"I took the difficult decision to try to reach a cross-party deal on Brexit. Many MPs on both sides were unsettled by this, but I believe it was the right thing to do. We engaged in six weeks of serious talks with the Opposition offering to compromise, but in the end those talks were not enough for Labour to reach an agreement with us. But I do not think that means we should give up. The House of Commons voted to trigger Article 50 and the majority of MPs say they want to deliver the result of the referendum. So I think we need to help them find a way and I believe there is now one last chance to do that. I've listened to concerns from across the political spectrum, I've done all I can to address them and today I'm making a serious offer to MPs across Parliament: a new Brexit deal. As part of that deal, I will continue to make the case for the Conservative Party to be united behind a policy that can deliver Brexit. Nine out of 10 Conservative MPs have already given the Withdrawal Agreement their backing and I want to reach out to every single one of my colleagues to make the very best offer I can to them."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, British Prime Minister:

"We came together around an amendment from Sir Graham Brady and this gave rise to the work on alternative arrangements to the backstop. Although it's not possible for those to replace the backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement, we can start the work now to ensure they are a viable alternative. So as part of the new Brexit deal we will place the government under a legal obligation to seek to conclude alternative arrangements by December 2020, so that we can avoid any need for the backstop coming into force. I've also listened to Unionist concerns about the backstop, so the new Brexit deal goes further to address these. It will commit that should the backstop come into force, the government will ensure that Great Britain will stay aligned with Northern Ireland. We will prohibit the proposal that a future government could split Northern Ireland off from the UK's customs territory, and we will deliver on commitments to Northern Ireland in the December 2017 joint report in full. We will implement Paragraph 50 of the joint report in law. The Northern Ireland assembly and executive will have to give their consent on a cross community basis for new regulations which are added to the backstop. And we will work with our confidence and supply partners on how these commitments should be entrenched in law."

++BLACK FRAMES++

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

"This new Brexit deal contains significant further changes to protect the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and deliver Brexit. It is a bespoke solution that answers the unique concerns of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland. But the reality is that after three attempts to secure a parliamentary agreement we will not leave the European Union unless we have a deal that can command wider cross-party support. And that is why I sat down with the Opposition. I've been serious about listening to views across the house throughout this process. That's why when two Labour MPs, Lisa Nandy and Gareth Snell, put forward their proposals to give Parliament a bigger say in the next phase of the negotiations, I listened to them. So the new Brexit deal will set out in law that the House of Commons will approve the UK's objectives for the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU and they will approve the treaties governing that relationship before the government signs them."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, British Prime Minister:

"Labour are both sceptical of our ability to negotiate that and don't believe an independent trade policy is in the national interest. They would prefer a comprehensive customs union with a UK say in EU trade policy, but with the EU negotiating on our behalf. If we're going to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and deliver Brexit we must resolve this difference. As part of the cross-party discussions, the government offered a compromise option of a temporary customs union on goods only, including UK say in relevant EU trade policy, and an ability to change the arrangement so a future government could move it in its preferred direction. We were not able to agree this as part of our cross-party talks. So it is right that Parliament should have the opportunity to resolve this during the passage of the bill and decide between the government's proposal and a compromise option. And so the government will commit in law to let Parliament decide this issue and to reflect the outcome of this process in legislation."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa May, British Prime Minister:

"I've also listened carefully to those who've been arguing for a second referendum. I've made my own view on this clear on many times. I do not believe this is a route that we should take because I think we should be implementing the result of the first referendum, not asking the British people to vote in a second one. But I recognise the genuine and sincere strength of feeling across the House on this important issue. The government will therefore include in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at introduction a requirement to vote on whether to hold a second referendum and this must take place before the withdrawal agreement can be ratified. And if the House of Commons were to vote for a referendum it would be requiring the government to make provisions for such a referendum, including legislation if it wanted to ratify the withdrawal agreement. So to those MPs who want a second referendum to confirm the deal, you need a deal and therefore a withdrawal agreement bill to make it happen. So let it have its second reading and then make your case to Parliament."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London - 14 May, 2019

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

Vincent-Rostowski: "Vote Change UK."

Pedestrian: "I have one of these already."

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

2. Another canvasser handing out leaflets

3. Various of Vincent-Rostowski handing out leaflets

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

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

5. Cutaway of Change UK sign

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

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

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

8. Close up of poll

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

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

10. Cutaway

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

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

12. People walking in street

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

14. Cutaway of badges

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

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

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

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

16. Various of people in street

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

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

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

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

19. Campaigner for Change UK handing out leaflets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London - 14 March 2019

++DUSK SHOTS++

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

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

3. Close of placard

++NIGHT SHOTS++

4. Wide exterior of UK Parliament

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

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

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

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

8. Various of parliament

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

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

10. Close-up of Parliament

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

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

12. Cutaway

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

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

14. Onlookers outside parliament

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

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

16. 'Vote UKIP' sign

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

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

18. Various of  EU and UK flags

Britain's Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Monday that his party would do "everything necessary to stop a disastrous no-deal for which this government has no mandate."

Corbyn was speaking on a visit to Northamptonshire where he was presenting his plan to rebuild Britain and prevent an exit from the European Union without a deal.

The Labour leader added that an election triggered by the Brexit impasse would provide a "once-in-a-generation chance" for a change of direction in politics, "potentially on the scale of 1945."

Accusing the government of driving the country towards a "political and constitutional storm", Corbyn added that Boris Johnson's executive wanted no-deal to create a tax haven for the wealthy on the shores of Europe and sign a deal with the United States, stressing it would be "not so much a no-deal Brexit, more a Trump deal Brexit."

Corbyn said that if there was a general election this autumn, Labour would commit to holding a public vote to give voters the final say on Brexit, "with credible options on both sides including the option to remain."

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under increasing pressure to recall Parliament after leaked government documents warned of widespread shortages and border delays if the UK leaves the European Union without a withdrawal agreement.

Economists have long predicted such grim scenarios, but Brexit backers have dismissed the forecasts as scaremongering.

UK POOL

Corby - 19 August 2019

1. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party arriving at news conference

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"I'm sure I don't need to convince anyone here, but as we look towards the return of Parliament in September, this country is heading into a political and constitutional storm. It's the Conservative Party's failure on Brexit and its lurch to the hard right that has provoked the crisis our country faces this autumn. After failing to negotiate a Brexit deal that would protect jobs and living standards, Boris Johnson's Tories are driving the country towards a no-deal cliff edge. Let's be very clear, we will do everything necessary to stop a disastrous no-deal for which this government has no mandate."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"The government wants to use no-deal to create a tax haven for the super rich on the shores of Europe and sign a sweetheart trade deal with Donald Trump. Not so much a no-deal Brexit, more a Trump-deal Brexit."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4 . SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"Labour will do everything we can to protect people's livelihoods. We will work together with MP's from across parliament to pull our country back from the brink and I will bring a vote of no confidence in the government, and if we're successful would seek to form a time-limited caretaker administration to avert no-deal and call an immediate general election so the people can decide our country's future."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"If MP's are serious about stopping a no-deal crash-out then they will vote down this reckless government and it falls to the leader of the opposition to make sure no-deal does not happen and the people decide their own future. That is our responsibility and we gladly accept that responsibility and will carry it out in Parliament."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"Labour believes the decision on how to resolve the Brexit crisis must go back to the people. And if there is a general election this autumn, Labour will commit to holding a public vote to give voters the final say, with credible options on both sides including the option to remain. Three years of Tory failure on Brexit have caused opinions to harden to such a degree that I believe no outcome will now have legitimacy without the people's endorsement."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party:

"A general election triggered by the Tory Brexit crisis will be a crossroads for our country. It will be a once-in-a-generation chance for a real change of direction potentially on the scale of 1945. Things cannot go on as they were before."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

Britain's fractious opposition politicians are giving a mixed reception to a plan by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to block a no-deal Brexit.

Corbyn said on Thursday that he plans to call a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government when Parliament returns from its summer break in September.

"That will ensure that this government then cannot continue with this headlong pursuit of a no-deal Brexit," he said.

He said Parliament should then unite behind a Corbyn-led "temporary government" that would seek a delay to Brexit and call a national election.

Johnson has vowed that Britain will leave the EU on October 31, with or without a divorce deal.

Many economists say a no-deal Brexit will cause economic turmoil.

Some lawmakers welcomed the idea.

But Jo Swinson, leader of the pro-EU Liberal Democrats, said Thursday that the idea was "nonsense" because Corbyn was a divisive figure.

She said she was "determined to do whatever it takes to stop Brexit" but that Corbyn was not the person to lead an emergency government.

Meanwhile on Thursday, a small group of farmers herded a flock of sheep through the streets of Westminster as part of the People's Vote protest movement.

Campaigners say a no-deal Brexit could cause half of Britain's farms to go out of business.

UK POOL

London - 15 August 2019

++STARTS ON SOUNDBITE++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party leader:

"We will put a motion of no confidence against this government in order to try and stop no deal. The Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) seems desperate to take Britain out of the European Union, 31st of October, without a deal. The problems of that are huge on food, medicine, jobs, industry and investment. But he also seems to be lining up with (US President) Donald Trump and all of his administration to do some kind of sweetheart trade deal, which can only be damaging to our jobs and our regulations in this country, on environment on food standards on workers rights and all those kind of things. He's taking us away from Europe into the arms of Donald Trump by his obsession with a no deal Brexit."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party leader:

"I hope that they will all support the motion of no confidence that I will put and that will ensure that this government then cannot continue with this headlong pursuit of a no-deal Brexit. And that would mean a caretaker government, led by Labour, which would be a government in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit and bring about a general election so the people of this country can decide their future."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party leader:

"Well, I think they should work with us to ensure there is no to no deal, that Parliament votes down no deal, and that's why I put the motion of no confidence. And that's why we, the Labour Party, by far the largest opposition party, have, I think, a responsibility to take over to ensure there is no cliff edge Brexit."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats Party leader:

"I want to be very clear this morning. I am determined to do whatever it takes to stop Brexit. And the Liberal Democrats will continue to lead the Remain cause as the strongest and most consistent party, arguing that our best future is in the European Union."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats Party leader:

"And now, instead of doing everything in his power to stop us from crashing out he (Jeremy Corbyn) is demanding the keys to Number 10 as a precondition for a vote of no-confidence. We are facing a national crisis. We may need an emergency government to resolve it. But if Jeremy Corbyn truly wants that to succeed, surely even he can see that he cannot lead it."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats Party leader:

"Despite saying that no deal was a million to one chance, that is clearly the destination that Boris Johnson is headed towards. He was prepared to say anything in his selfish quest to become prime minister, at all costs. And there will be costs. Because let's be frank, a no-deal Brexit is an utterly irresponsible pursuit. No decent public servant should even contemplate risking that level of damage to our country."

7. Various of People's Vote protesters with sheep outside Department of International Trade

8. Various of sheep being walked along streets of Westminster

9. Various of farmers and sheep outside The Farmers' Club on Whitehall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London - 5 September 2019

++QUALITY AS INCOMING++

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

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

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

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

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

5. Balloons

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

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

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

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

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

Reporter: "Do you think that will happen?"

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

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

10. Close of painting of naked Johnson

11. Parliament exterior, EU flags outside

12. Leave and remain campaigners outside Parliament

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

14. Wide of Parliament

15. Various of Parliament building details

16. British flag

Pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage on Saturday spoke at the first rally of his newly formed Brexit Party, a day after launching a campaign for the possible election to an institution he routinely insults - the contest for UK seats in the European Parliament.

Addressing supporters in Birmingham, the former leader of the UK Independence Party reiterated claims that Britain's Government had failed to respect the result of the 2016 EU referendum.

Britain was supposed to have left the European Union before the European elections, which take place in late May in every EU nation.

But with Britain's Parliament still deadlocked over whether to approve the government's divorce deal with the bloc, EU leaders have postponed the Brexit deadline until Oct. 31.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said taking part in this year's European elections three years after the nation voted to leave the EU would be "unthinkable" and that she still hopes Britain can avoid the bloc's May 23 election.  

But with British lawmakers unwilling to endorse the divorce agreement that May forged with the EU, preparations have begun to fill the 73 UK spots in the 751-seat European legislature.

Winning candidates from Britain will only get to serve as long as their country remains in the EU.

Britain's ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labour party are unenthusiastic about running in the European Parliament election, where they are likely to be punished by disgruntled voters.

But pro-Brexit and pro-EU parties are eager to run in a contest seen by many as a way to express their strongly divergent views on the EU.

Farage, who formerly led the UK Independence Party and has sat in the European parliament since 1999, was instrumental in helping the Leave side win Britain's 2016 referendum on EU membership, but stepped down as UKIP leader after the referendum.

UK POOL

Birmingham - 13 April 2019

1. Pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage arriving to speak at first campaign rally of his newly formed Brexit Party

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party:

"What happened on 23 June 2016 (referendum when the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union) should have been decisive."

3. Cutaway of Farage on stage

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party:

(Former UK Prime Minister) Tony Blair never accepted the result (of the referendum), and in fact, a House of Commons, that is a remain House of Commons, and a government, that is made up of the Prime Minister and two thirds of a cabinet, that are remainers, have just, simply, refused to accept the democratic result. We're told that we didn't know what we were voting for. How dare they?"

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party:

"Now we have the spectre, of (UK Prime Minister) Mrs. (Theresa) May and (opposition leader) Mr. (Jeremy) Corbyn, now trying to negotiate a new form of wording in the Political Declaration that is added to her dreadful treaty. And by the way, that treaty that Mrs. May wants to get signed through the House of Commons, is such a shameful document, it could've only ever been signed by somebody who had been defeated in war. It is a travesty of a document and it must never pass."

++BLACK FRAMES++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party:

"Now we face European elections, they are going to happen on 23 May (2019). And can I tell you, after the launch of this party yesterday, the establishment is now panicking."

7. Farage exiting

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered key defections from his party Tuesday, losing a working majority in Parliament and weakening his position as he tried to prevent lawmakers from blocking his Brexit plans.

Johnson's tenuous position became clear even as spoke in Parliament for the first time since it reconvened.

Lawmaker Phillip Lee rose from his chair on the Conservative benches and sat down with the Liberal Democrats, a defection that meant Johnson lost his slim working majority.

Political analyst Tony Travers from the LSE (London School of Economics) School of Public Policy said Lee's defection from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats was a sign of the highly-charged political times.

"There are (other) MPs, not only like him switching sides, but others saying they won't stand at the next general election, they're effectively standing back. That allows them to vote with the anti-no deal side in the votes that are coming up," he said.

"So the Conservative Party is facing a remarkable moment when it's going to shed members and possibly change itself into a rather different kind of party."

On a day of high drama and acerbic debate in the House of Commons, lawmakers returned from their summer recess to confront Johnson over his insistence that the UK leave the European Union on October 31, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow.

As protesters on the streets outside Parliament denounced a "coup," the lawmakers turned to a key piece of legislation that would prevent an immediate no-deal Brexit.

If it passes this week, Johnson's Downing Street office said he'll call an early election — taking his argument directly to the people for a third general election in four years.

But Travers says even if Johnson wanted to call an election, he may be hamstrung with Lee's recent defection.

"But then he faces the challenge, would the the Labour Party simply roll over and allow him to do that because he has to have a two thirds majority under the Fixed Term Parliament Act to hold a general election," he said.

"So if Labour says 'no we're going to impose conditions,' he hasn't got enough MPs to deliver a general election either, and then he's in a difficult position of being bound to avoid no deal Brexit but not being able to hold a general election and that is very awkward indeed if he ends up there."

Only 58 days from exit, the EU said Tuesday it had received no proposals from the British government aimed at overcoming the impasse.

UK POOL

London - 3 September 2019

1. Various aerials of anti-Brexit protesters in front of Westminster

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 3 September 2019

2. Various of protest outside Westminster

3. Demonstrators chanting, UPSOUND (English) "Phillip Lee (lawmaker who defected from ruling Conservative Party on Tuesday)"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Travers, political analyst, LSE (London School of Economics) School of Public Policy:

"The fact that Phillip Lee has changed sides from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats moving from the government to the opposition, with an impassioned explanation of why his party has failed, is more evidence of the highly-charged political times there are now in the UK. And there are MPs, not only like him switching sides, but others saying they won't stand at the next general election, they're effectively standing back. That allows them to vote with the anti-no deal side in the votes that are coming up and it doesn't matter then if they're de-selected because they're not going to stand in the next election. So the Conservative Party is facing a remarkable moment when it's going to shed members and possibly change itself into a rather different kind of party."

5. Various of pro-Brexit protesters

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Travers, political analyst, LSE School of Public Policy:

"It's an existential time and what (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson I think has been counting on is that if he does indeed face a Parliament that produces legislation to stop no deal then he can say: 'Well I can't now deliver the thing I said I was elected, I'll call a general election.' But then he faces the challenge, would the the Labour Party simply roll over and allow him to do that because he has to have a two thirds majority under the Fixed-term Parliament Act to hold a general election. So if Labour says no we're going to impose conditions, he hasn't got enough MPs to deliver a general election either and then he's in a difficult position of being bound to avoid no-deal Brexit but not being able to hold a general election and that is very awkward indeed if he ends up there."

7. Various of anti-Brexit protesters

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Travers, political analyst, LSE School of Public Policy:

"Well clearly Boris Johnson, with powerful advisers, has come up with a strategy and a series of tactics to try to get into the position where he can convince the EU - or the EU 27 - that he means business when he says he can deliver a no-deal Brexit if necessary. If it proves impossible to do that, then of course the strategy he's set out will indeed not have worked and then he's got to think again. Probably to try and find a way of doing a deal at the last minute or indeed you know resigning. But I don't think we're anywhere near that yet."

9. Various of pro-Brexit protesters

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Travers, political analyst, LSE School of Public Policy:

"I mean, in theory, the government could introduce a single-line bill to abolish the Fixed-term Parliament Act. The difficulty for the government with that is: that it might simply create voting along the lines of the government versus the no-no dealers, exactly what we're seeing on everything else. So it will be more awkward for the government if they tried to abolish the Fixed-term Parliament Act and then couldn't do that remembering that today the government has lost one more MP who's changed sides so it now doesn't even have a majority with the Democratic Unionists."

11. European flags flying

12. British flag flying on Parliament building

British Prime Minister Theresa May addressed factory workers in Stoke-on-trent on Monday, in a last ditch attempt to stave off a crushing defeat for the unpopular Brexit agreement that's up for a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

Stoke-on-Trent residents voted around 70-30 in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, one of the highest Leave votes in the country.

In her specch, May urged British lawmakers to vote in support of her Brexit deal or else, she said, "people's faith in the democratic process and their politicians would suffer catastrophic harm".

May said that either a 'no-deal' Brexit or no Brexit at all, the two alternatives "both remain in play if the deal is rejected".

She stressed that based on the events in Westminster over the past week, "the more likely outcome is a paralysis in Parliament that risks there being no Brexit."

Speaking to reporters after her speech, May also said the assurances from the EU she secured following UK lawmakers' worries over the Brexit agreement "do give more assurance and confidence to MPs about the nature of the relationship we would have with the European Union in the future".

An extension of Article 50 or a second referendum were both firmly ruled out by the British leader as other possibilities if the deal fails to win MPs approval Tuesday.

UK POOL

Stoke-on-Trent - 14 January 2019

1. Various of British Prime Minister Theresa May walking to microphone inside factory to make statement

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

"We've never had a referendum in the United Kingdom that we've not honoured the result of. Parliament understood this fact when it voted overwhelmingly to trigger Article 50. And both major parties did so too when they stood on election manifestos in 2017, that pledged to honour the result of the referendum. But as we've seen over the last few weeks, there are some in Westminster who would wish to delay or even stop Brexit and who will use every device available to them to do so. I ask them to consider the consequences of their actions on the faith of the British people in our democracy. The House of Commons did not say to the people of Scotland or Wales that despite voting in favour of the devolved legislature, parliament knew better and would overrule them or else force them to vote again. What if we find ourselves in a situation where parliament tried to take the UK out of the EU in opposition to a Remain vote? People's faith in the democratic process and their politicians would suffer catastrophic harm. We all have a duty to implement the result of the referendum."

++BLACK FRAMES++

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

"A 'no-deal' Brexit, that would cause turbulence for our economy, create barriers to security cooperation and disrupt people's daily lives; or the risk of no Brexit at all - for the first time in our history failing to implement the outcome of a statutory referendum and letting the British people down; these alternatives both remain in play if the deal is rejected."

++BLACK FRAMES++

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

"You can take 'no-deal' off the table by voting for that deal. And if 'no-deal' is as bad as you believe it is, it will be the height of recklessness to do anything else. But while 'no-deal' remains a serious risk, having observed events at Westminster over the last seven days, it is now my judgment that the more likely outcome is a paralysis in Parliament that risks there being no Brexit."

++BLACK FRAMES++

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

"We've seen the assurances that are being published today. I believe those do give more assurance and confidence to MPs about the nature of the relationship we would have with the European Union in the future, about the desire on both sides not to see the backstop come into force, and what we will both do to ensure that we're working to make that not happen, so that we can get onto that future relationship, which is the best way of ensuring a sustainable long-term relationship and dealing with the Northern Ireland border on that sustainable long-term basis, and the commitments expressed today show commitment on both sides to get on and do that."

++BLACK FRAMES++

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

"We're leaving on the 29th of March. I've been clear that I don't believe we should be extending Article 50 and I don't believe we should be having the second referendum. We have that instruction, we have from the British people to leave. I believe it's our duty to deliver on that. I want to do it in a way that is smooth, that is orderly as I as I've just said, protects jobs and security and protects our union."

++BLACK FRAMES++

7. May leaving

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

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

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

++NO CUTAWAYS AVAILABLE - SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

AGENCY POOL

London - 28 August 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Verhofstadt being seated

Britain's Treasury chief urged those seeking to be Britain's next leader to be honest with the public and spell out what they would do if their plans for leaving the European Union falter.

Philip Hammond used a speech in London on Thursday to say the candidates should outline what their Plan B might be if Parliament rejects both the Brexit deal negotiated by outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May and leaving the bloc with no deal at all.

Hammond's speech to the annual Mansion House dinner in London's financial district was interrupted by climate-change protesters in red evening dresses with sashes that read "climate emergency." Greenpeace said the protesters were members of the group who had "gatecrashed" the dinner.

Hammond resumed his speech after a few minutes.

Hammond, who has long warned of the dangers posed by a badly managed Brexit, urged the two remaining leadership candidates to offer realistic strategies for taking the British economy out of the "holding pattern" that it has been stuck in as May sought to get her Brexit divorce deal through the House of Commons - possibly even if it means another referendum on leaving the EU.

"We cannot allow ourselves to be forced to choose between our democracy and our prosperity," Hammond said. "And if the new prime minister cannot end the deadlock in Parliament, then he will have to explore other democratic mechanisms to break the impasse."

Hammond repeated warnings that leaving the EU without a deal would damage the British economy and ultimately risk the breakup of the U.K. a veiled reference to increasing tensions in Scotland and Northern Ireland, both of which voted to stay inside of the EU. He also stressed that the 26.6 billion pounds (34 billion US dollars) of "fiscal headroom" set aside by the Treasury would be soaked up quickly by a no-deal Brexit.

The comments are seen as a rebuke to Boris Johnson, the front-runner in the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and the next British prime minister. Johnson is arguing that some of the contingency fund set up to cushion the British economy in the event of "no deal" could be used for tax cuts.

"There is a choice: either we leave with no deal or we preserve our future fiscal space - we cannot do both," Hammond said.

Hammond also said it was unlikely the EU would do a "180-degree U-turn" and re-open talks on the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney also made his final Mansion House speech, before he retires from the position.

He joked about the UK's missed Brexit deadline and the dispute over how much it should pay the EU.

UK POOL

Mansion House, London, UK - 20 June 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Hammond, British Chancellor of the Exchequer:

"As I said at the Spring Statement, if we leave the EU in a smooth and orderly way the fiscal headroom I've built up means an incoming prime minister will have scope for additional spending or tax cuts. But there's a caveat. A damaging no-deal Brexit would cause short term disruption to our economy, soaking up all the fiscal headroom we felt and more. And while fiscal and monetary policy interventions could help to smooth our path to a post no-deal Brexit economy, both could only be temporary and neither could prevent the economy being permanently smaller than if we leave with a deal. So there's a choice. Either we leave with no deal or we preserve our future fiscal space. We cannot do both."

++BLACK++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Hammond, British Chancellor of the Exchequer:

"Now it may be that I'm wrong and a new leader will persuade Parliament to accept the deal it has already rejected three times. Or that the European Union does 180 degree U-turn and reopens the withdrawal agreement. But if I'm not, if the deal the current PM has negotiated turns out to be the best deal possible and Parliament continues to reject both it and no deal. Then the question to the candidates is not what is your plan, but what is your plan B. Because if your plan A is undeliverable, not having a Plan B is not having a plan at all."

++BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Hammond, British Chancellor of the Exchequer:

"The candidates need realistic strategies for taking the UK economy out of the holding pattern in which it has been stuck for the last nine months and landing it safely on the runway marked 'Prosperity Brexit', because we cannot allow ourselves to be forced to choose between our democracy and our prosperity. And if the new prime minister cannot end the deadlock in parliament then he will have to explore other democratic mechanisms to break the impasse, because if he fails his job will be on the line and so too will be the jobs and prosperity of millions of our fellow citizens."

++BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Hammond, British Chancellor of the Exchequer:

"If we can fight the corrosive wave of simplistic populism, if we can re-ground our politics in a common vision built on pragmatism and realism, and recapture for the centre ground a sense of optimism and momentum, we can look ahead to a brighter future for our economy our politics our society and our country."

++BLACK++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England:

"But as you've heard I'll soon be out of a job, to my horror and to the delight of many. So my last Mansion House speech as Governor, as anyone actually, and I promise you, don't worry, don't worry, I promise you this time, it really is the end. No further extensions. January 31st is my, it's my personal cliff edge. I'm taking my 39 billion and my housing allowance and I'm scarpering back, scarpering back to a land where drugs aren't a bar to high office, it's something you do when you...something you do when you get there."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

Britain's Brexit stronghold, Basildon, went to the polls on Thursday, in the first of four days of elections for the European Parliament.

Opinion polls suggest Farage's Brexit Party could pick up as much as a third of the vote in an election many see as a proxy Brexit referendum, with many defecting from Prime Minister Theresa May's deeply divided Conservative Party.

Hard-core Brexit supporters have become increasingly eager to cast ballots for Farage's newly formed party whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible.

"It's just I've had enough.  Had enough of what's going on.  We had the vote over 3 years ago now and we voted to come out and we should have been out by now," said John Anderson who voted for the Brexit party.

The five-yearly elections to the European Parliament are generally sleepy affairs in Britain, only about a third of the electorate voted in 2014.

But Brexit has made Thursday's vote an emotionally charged showdown with high stakes for May's Conservative government.

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Basildon - 23 May 2019

1. Wide of polling station with man walking in

2. Close of polling station sign

3. Various of polling station exterior

4. Colin Smith walking out of polling station

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Smith, Brexit Party voter:

"I felt that at least I should come along and put my cross in the box and express how angry I am."

Reporter: "Who did you vote for?"

Smith: "Brexit Party. I've always voted Tory I think they've let us down I think all of those who are voting for remain have undermined or trying to undermine the democratic vote and the outcome, I think it's disgusting and I think we have to stand up."

6. Roger Standen walking out of polling station with his wife

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Roger Standen, UKIP voter:

"Mrs May is going to water it down and water it down and then offer another referendum.  And certainly that will be twisted and the result will change. I'm very angry."

8. Patricia Elgram walking out of polling station

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Patricia Elgram, Conservative voter:

"Well we are so sick of no one listening but you keep voting, don't you.  I mean they are there for us but they're not listening to us we don't want a second referendum, third referendums we want them to get on with the job. This is why people have stopped voting."

10. Norman McCleoud walking out of polling station

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Norman McCleoud, Change UK voter:

"I've voted in the past, the past few elections, I voted Conservative. I voted Change (UK) today because I think we do need change and I think Change is going to come maybe not in my lifetime but it's going to come anyway.  I think we need to send a message to the big guys it's time you made a change as well."

12. Close of polling station opening times sign

13. SOUNDBITE (English) John Anderson, Brexit Party voter:

"It's just I've had enough.  Had enough of what's going on.  We had the vote over 3 years ago now and we voted to come out and we should have been out by now and what Theresa May, she should never ever have been prime minister she didn't vote to leave she voted to remain, she shouldn't have been the Prime Minister and she has ruined the country."

14. Man walking into polling station

Anti-Brexit protesters gathered outside parliament in London erupted into cheers late on Tuesday as it became clear that rebellious lawmakers had secured a majority in a vote to seize control of the Brexit agenda.

The demonstrators celebrated by waving European Union flags and erupting into song.

The 328 to 301 vote cleared the way for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's opponents to introduce a bill on Wednesday that would prevent Britain from leaving the EU without a deal.

Anti-Brexit protester Anna Pili said “It’s a slight relief, the battle is not over yet, I’m just really pleased that the vote went our way this evening but we have a long way to go yet, it’s not over.”

Valerie Peay, human rights advocate said “one of the big things that's important tonight is, this is Parliament standing up for the whole democracy in the UK, so it’s not just people who voted for leaving, for Brexit, it’s people voting for everyone in the UK."

Jeffrey Donaldson, a Democratic Unionist Party lawmaker said he believed MPs who wish to take "no deal" off the table ultimately wish to stop Brexit.

But if there were to be a general election, Donaldson said he thought British voters would back parties who support Brexit.

London - 3 September 2019

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Various of anti-Brexit protesters outside Parliament

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Anna Pili, anti-Brexit protester:

“It’s a slight relief, the battle is not over yet, I’m just really pleased that the vote went our way this evening but we have a long way to go yet, it’s not over.”

3. Various of anti-Brexit protesters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Anna Pili, anti-Brexit protester:

“My hope, really, at the end of the day is that sense prevails and now all this madness will stop and we will stay in Europe. Brexit is to be stopped.”

5. Various of anti-Brexit protesters

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Peay, human rights advocate:

“As a pride European and a proud Scot and a proud Brit, I think it’s really important for us to focus on what’s important here. So this is the ability for people to give their voice, people have said ‘wait a minute, we want to have the choice, what’s happening, what’s happening with Brexit? What does it mean for us?' And one of the big things that's important tonight is, this is Parliament standing up for the whole democracy in the UK, so it’s not just people who voted for leaving, for Brexit, it’s people voting for everyone in the UK, so I think it’s a really important night and that’s why we came down.”

7. Establishing shots of DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) MP Jeffrey Donaldson

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP MP:

“Well I think the real agenda of those who are pushing to take no deal off the table and hand control of the negotiations to the European Union, is to stop Brexit. I think we’re pretty clear about that. I wish people would be honest. I give the Liberal Democrats credit, at least they are honest, they want to stop Brexit, but I think the others who put their hand to this really want to stop Brexit and thwart the will of the British people.”

9. Various of Donaldson being interviewed

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) MP:

“Well, I think if we have a general election the people of this country have a clear choice to make. Do they want to support those who want to stop Brexit? Or do they want to support those who want to uphold the democratic will of the British people? I think that’s a pretty clear choice and I’m confident of the result being one that gives a clear mandate to those who want to deliver the will of the people."

11. Tilt-down on protester holding sign reading “Tories (another name for ruling Conservative Party) out, General Election now”

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) MP:

“I think the clear choice for the British people is who speaks for them and who is going to negotiate for them in terms of the discussions with the European Union. Is it Jeremy Corbyn (opposition Labour Party leader) or is it the current government? Jeremy Corbyn is all over the place on this. One minute he is for Brexit, the next minute he is trying to undermine it. One minute he wants a general election, now he is running away from a general election. Is that really the kind of leader we want for this country?”

13. Anti-Brexit protesters

14. European flags being waved

UK Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson told a party conference that her first priority after winning a general election would be to cancel Brexit.

"There is no Brexit that will be good for our country," Swinson told party members, "Europe makes our United Kingdom stronger but Brexit hurts our family of nations," she added, pledging to revoke Article 50 "on day one".

Swinson likened planning for a no-deal Brexit to planning to burn your house down. "You might have insurance but you will still lose all your stuff," Swinson said, taking a swipe at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for claiming he could negotiate a Brexit deal in a month.

"I wouldn't hold that much hope. Yesterday he failed to negotiate where to have a press conference," she said to applause, referencing Johnson's Monday visit to Luxembourg and decision to not speak alongside the country's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel as protesters heckled him outside.

Swinson compared Johnson to a socialist dictator for "silencing critics, purging opponents and ignoring the law" and warned him that being a woman would not stand in the way of her becoming the UK's next prime minister.

Johnson sent lawmakers home on September 9 until October 14, which is barely two weeks before the scheduled Oct. 31 Brexit day.

The government's opponents argued that Johnson illegally shut down Parliament just weeks before the country is to leave the 28-nation bloc for the "improper purpose" of dodging lawmakers' scrutiny of his Brexit plans. They also accused Johnson of misleading Queen Elizabeth II, whose formal approval was needed to suspend the legislature.

The brash Johnson insists Britain must leave the EU on October 31 with or without a divorce agreement, though he says he believes he can strike a deal with the bloc in time for an orderly departure.

But the EU says Britain has yet to offer any "legally operational" solutions to the problem of keeping goods and people flowing freely across the Irish border, the main roadblock to a deal.

UK POOL

Bournemouth - 17 September 2019

1. Various of Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson walking on stage

2. Party members applauding

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader: ++PARTLY OVERLAID WITH VARIOUS OF PARTY MEMBERS++

"The tired old parties have failed, looking inwards at a time of national crisis. Our country needs us at this precarious time. We don't have 10 or 15 years. We need to seize the opportunity now. So let me be clear. Let me be clear. There is no limit to my ambition for our party and our country, and today I am standing here as your candidate for prime minister."

4. Various of party members applauding

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader: ++STARTS ON SHORT SHOT OF PARTY MEMBERS APPLAUDING, PARTLY OVERLAID WITH MID OF PARTY MEMBERS++

"Ahead of us we have the fight of our lives for the heart and soul of Britain, because, conference, the next few weeks are about deciding the kind of country that we are, who we want to be, whether we tackle our biggest challenges with our closest allies or on our own. Whether we welcome those who want to build a better life in our country or shut the door on them, whether we ensure that every single child can go on to fulfill their dreams. The first task is clear. We must stop Brexit."

6. Party members applauding

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader: ++STARTS ON PAN OF PARTY MEMBERS++

"And we are crystal clear: a Liberal Democrat majority government will revoke Article 50 on day one."

8. Swinson on stage, party members applauding

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader:

"Because there is no Brexit that will be good for our country. Europe makes our United Kingdom stronger but Brexit hurts our family of nations."

10. Party members applauding

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader:

"Join us. Come with me and be part of the bigger movement for change. A big vote for the Liberal Democrats in Scotland at the next general election will give us the final push we need. The energy is with us so come with us to stop Brexit."

12. Party members applauding

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader: ++PARTLY OVELAID WITH MID OF PARTY MEMBERS++

"But the truth is you can't plan for no deal. Planning for no deal is like planning to burn your house down. You might have insurance but you're still going to lose all your stuff. But Boris has set himself on this course. He claims he can negotiate a Brexit deal in a month. I wouldn't hold out much hope. Yesterday he failed to negotiate where to have a press conference."

14. Party members applauding

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader: ++PARTLY OVELAID WITH PAN OF PARTY MEMBERS++

"There is even now the suggestion that he would break the law and refuse to ask for an extension of Article 50. Silencing critics purging opponents ignoring the law. For someone who proclaims to hate socialist dictators he's doing a pretty good impression of one."

16. Party members applauding

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader:

"And Boris Johnson's insults of choice are rather revealing. Big girls blouse, girly swot. But let me tell you, conference. If he thinks being a woman is somehow a weakness he's about to find out it is not."

18. Party members applauding

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat leader:

++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++

"We cannot be satisfied with a place on the fringes of British politics, narrow and pure, small and irrelevant. Our job is to gather the forces of liberalism and be the rallying point for change."

20. Various of Swinson walking off stage

UK members of parliament who voted on a series of eight alternative Brexit options have rejected them, all leaving no clear path forward in the Brexit process.

A vote for a permanent customs union with the EU came closest and was beaten by 272 to 264 votes.

Analyst Alan Wager says this makes a general election or a second referendum more likely.

London – 27 March 2019

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Parliament with Remain protesters in front

2. Close up of sign reading (English) "Stop Brexit"

3. Pro-EU 'remain' protesters singing (English) 'you can shove your Brexit up Farage'

4. Close up of EU flag

5. Wide of pro-EU protesters singing

6. Close up of Parliament windows

7. Alan Wager, Political Analyst from Kings College London, speaking

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Political Analyst:

"So, there is mass confusion essentially. Everything in the House of Commons, all the way from a second referendum to a 'no deal' Brexit has been rejected by MPs. So, before we knew that Theresa May's deal wasn't very popular in the House of Commons, now we know that every sort of Brexit option, every sort of way out of the current impasse isn't popular with MPs either. That makes two things more likely: that makes some sort of general election increasingly likely, but also potentially increases the case for the referendum, that is the case people who have been supporting a referendum have been making, that there is grid lock, the only way is to bring it back to the people. It makes both those things increasingly likely."

9. Cutaway Parliament

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Political Analyst:

"We are potentially closer to a 'no deal' because without any alternative arrangements in place the UK will leave with a 'no deal'. MPs still seem sure that if we go towards a no deal they can vote against it, and vote against it but at some point they have got to come up with something positive and it is clear tonight that there are no easy answers to that. Some people thought that staying in the single market might be an easy answer, but that has been roundly rejected by MPs. "

11. Pan down of umbrella with lights to pro-EU protester

12. Wide of parliament

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Political Analyst:

"Well certainly the fact that everything gets rejected makes Theresa May's deal look relatively more attractive to MPs. So it lost by 149 votes, it looks like it will be closer again next time. If it can get within 20 or 30 votes, then she might be able to say, 'well actually this is the most attractive and popular deal that is currently on the table'. So that sort of changes the calculations for MPs potentially. So it is likely that Theresa May's deal will get one more roll of the dice this week."

14. Wide of Wager speaking to media

15. Close up of hands

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Wager, Political Analyst:

"Yes, so Theresa May has promised that she will step down as leader of the Conservative party if she can get her Meaningful Vote Three through the House of Commons this week. She has also threatened that if she doesn't get her deal through, then she won't resign. So a sort of carrot and stick approach to the Conservative party at the moment. But if she does get the deal through then there will be a leadership contest in the Conservative Party for a new prime minister and the hope is that will convince the final 30, 40 conservative MPs she needs to get her deal over the line and get Brexit done by the time the summer starts."

17. Low angle of parliament and protesters

18. Wide pan of parliament