British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the terrorist attack on Parliament which she described as sick and depraved, vowing forces of evil would never be allowed to drive us apart. Below is a transcript of the prime minister’s full speech:
A knife-wielding assailant driving a sport utility vehicle mowed down panicked pedestrians in London and stabbed a police officer outside Parliament on Wednesday in a deadly assault, prompting the hasty evacuation of the prime minister and punctuating the threat of terrorism in Europe.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to warn Prime Minister Theresa May she will “shatter beyond repair” the notion that the UK is a partnership of equals if she turns down a request from the Scottish Parliament to hold a second independence referendum.
Prime Minister Theresa May has claimed that Scotland will be leaving the European Union regardless of whether or not it votes for independence. Speaking during an exchange with the SNP's Angus Robertson, Theresa May also warned against constitutional game-playing.
The British Parliament passed on Monday the Brexit bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can leave the European Union. Peers backed down over the issues of EU residency rights and a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal after their objections were overturned by MPs. The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent and become law on Tuesday.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she will ask for permission to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence, and the vote would be held between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of the following year. That would coincide with the expected conclusion of the UK's Brexit negotiations.
Boris Johnson has told the BBC that Britain should reject any EU demands for a £50bn exit bill and follow the example of former PM Margaret Thatcher. It has been reported that EU negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must continue to pay into the EU until 2020.
UK secretary David Davis has urged MPs to back the Brexit bill and insisted the UK would be prepared, if it has to leave the EU with no deal in place. The Brexit secretary urged MPs not to “tie the prime minister's hands” over MPs getting a final vote on the deal and on EU citizens' rights in the UK.
United Kingdom ministers are at risk of a second defeat in the House of Lords over the bill paving the way for Brexit talks. Peers may back calls for a meaningful vote on the final terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU and its future relations during a debate on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Theresa May should call an early general election, former Tory leader Lord Hague has urged. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Lord Hague said bringing forward the next election could help the UK secure a better deal in Brexit negotiations.