Theresa May officially starts Brexit process

Summary

Theresa May triggers the official Brexit process in a letter to EU
Mrs May tells MPs it's a "historic moment... there is no turning back"
The EU's Donald Tusk says "missing you already"
Two years of exit negotiations to follow

Live Reporting

Gavin Stamp and Alex Hunt

May's 'conciliatory and constructive tone'published at 12:46 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
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MEP: Only EU interests 'count now'published at 12:44 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
German MEP tweets...
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A German newspaper's take on developmentspublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
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Theresa May: This is a historic moment... no turning backpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
House of Commons
Parliament
Theresa May hails the triggering of Article 50, saying:
Quote Message
This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back - Britain is leaving the European Union - we're going to make our own decisions and our own laws, we're going to take control of the things that matter most to us. And we're going to take this opportunity to build a stronger and fairer Britain that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home."
Tusk-Barrow conversation lasted a minutepublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
European Council president Donald Tusk and Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's ambassador to the EU, spoke for about a minute before the letter, bearing the signature of Theresa May, was handed over.
Germany welcomes Article 50 'clarity'published at 12:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
A German government spokesman has said the triggering of Article 50 has provided "more clarity" about the UK's plans and the future of the EU.
Watch: Brits could replace migrant workers - Evanspublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
BBC Radio 5 live
UKIP's Deputy Chair Suzanne Evans has told BBC Radio 5 live's Emma Barnett that "skilled up" British citizens could replace migrant workers.
The UKIP politician said: “Seventy percent of people in this country want immigration to fall. What about training people in our own country? Let's be more optimistic and just skill up our own.”
Media caption,
UKIP's Suzanne Evans on why “skilled up Brits could replace migrant workers”
Theresa May: The UK is leaving the EUpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
House of Commons
Parliament
Theresa May giving her statement on Brexit announces that minutes before in Brussels the UK's permanent representative to the EU handed a letter to the president of the European Council confirming the goverment's decision to invoke Article 50.
In accordance with the will of the British people, "the UK is leaving the EU".
Norman Smith: The Brexit process has begunpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Image source, Reuters
The BBC's Norman Smith says the UK has begun its departure from the EU. He says we won't know the contents of the six-page letter for about 10 or 15 minutes when Theresa May finishes her imminent Commons statement.
MP anger over triggering of Article 50published at 12:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
MPs tweet...
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The moment the letter was handed overpublished at 12:33 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Tim Barrow and Donald Tusk
Tusk: The UK has 'delivered'published at 12:30 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Sir Tim Barrow handed the letter to Donald Tusk. The historic moment was not captured by live cameras but Mr Tusk has now tweeted.
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Adler: Momentous event for UK and EUpublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
The delivery of the letter is a "momentous" event for the UK and EU, the BBC's Europe editor says.
She says she expects European Council president Donald Tusk to make a statement shortly
Two years of hard and complex negotiations lie ahead, she says, adding that this is a "very tight timetable" which many people think is unrealistic.
SNP accuses PM of breaking promises over Article 50 agreement published at 12:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
The Daily Politics
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Sadiq Khan: EU will still be important partnerpublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Media caption,
On a trip to Paris, London's mayor says Europe will be important to UK
Boris Johnson confident of 'win-win' Brexitpublished at 12:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Boris Johnson says he is very confident about a successful outcome to the Brexit talks, which are soon to begin after the triggering of Article 50.
Quote Message
We want to back a strong EU, buttressed by a strong UK, with a new relationship, a deep and special partnership, between the EU and the UK. And I’ve absolutely no doubt we can make it work. I think we’re going to have a very successful negotiation and it’s in the interests of both sides to have a win-win outcome."
Article 50 letter handed overpublished at 12:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Breaking
The Article 50 letter has been handed. the BBC's Katya Adler says.
May comments anger SNPpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
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Kuenssberg: Unusual tactics from Corbynpublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
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Robertson accuses PM of 'breaking her word'published at 12:17 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
House of Commons
Parliament
The SNP's Westminster leader Angus Robertson says the prime minister promised to secure a UK-wide agreement with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on Brexit before triggering Article 50. He says she hasn't and she has "broken her promise and broken her word".
The PM says that she consulted with the devolved governments but the referendum was a UK-wide decision and she is taking the "views of the UK" into the negotiations, reminding the MP that the SNP is a part of the UK.
She says the SNP only talks about independence and "now is not the time" to do this, saying on "this of all days" the UK should be coming together to get the best deal from the Brexit process.