BBC News Channel

The tone of the prime minister's speech was "significant", says Conservative MP James Cleverly.

He says Theresa May reminded fellow EU leaders that the UK would be "active players in the European sphere... but we are definitely leaving" the EU.

He describes a transition period after 2019 as an "implementation period".

Mr Cleverly, who backed leaving the EU, insists that Mrs May "made the position of the UK government as a whole completely clear in that speech".

BBC News Channel

Labour's Chris Leslie, who backed the Remain campaign, described Theresa May's Florence address as "a missed opportunity" - and called for the government and the frontbench of his party to "think again" over Brexit.

"Extrication is going to be damaging," he told the BBC, and questioned the benefits of making the "this split" with the EU.

Theresa May's speech was more the "product of internal negotiations in the Tory party rather than negotiations with the EU", Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said.

He claimed the PM had used the speech to "slap down" Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, who were both in Florence with Mrs May.

Mr Corbyn told the BBC a transitional period post-Brexit has always been on the cards.

BBC News Channel

Conservative MP and former minister Owen Paterson, who campaigned to leave the EU, says he welcomes Theresa May's commitment to leave the single market, customs union and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

However, he tells BBC News: "As long we still have that transition period, we're still bound in by European rules and we can't get cracking and open up markets around the world."

He adds: "As long as we're in this position, we can't take on the real advantages of leaving."

Image source, PA

"Both the Conservatives and Labour have now essentially converged on the same position, which is to kick the can down the road and simply delay the economic pain caused by an extreme Brexit," says Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable.

"Voters were promised £350m a week for the NHS. Instead, Theresa May is admitting the UK will have to pay a hefty Brexit bill worth billions of pounds.

"No wonder the Brexiteers are terrified of giving the British people the final say through a referendum on the facts."

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady has accused the PM of "not levelling with the British people" about the Brexit trade-offs that will be needed.

“Reality has begun to break through into the government’s Brexit strategy, as Theresa May finally admits that a smooth transition period is desirable and necessary.

“But the prime minister is still pretending we can have our cake and eat it for a long-term deal...

“We still need a realistic negotiating strategy for how the government will get a long-term deal that protects jobs, rights and livelihoods, and encourages businesses to invest in Britain.”

Theresa May's proposed transition period post-Brexit "is welcome news" but continued membership of the single market and freedom of movement are essential, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas has said.

Describing the UK PM's speech as "extremely underwhelming", Ms Lucas - the UK's only Green MP - said: "The prime minister should have laid down a real plan for the long-term protection of the rights of EU citizens in Britain, instead of simply offering warm words."

BBC News Channel

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage says Theresa May's Brexit speech "made it pretty clear she doesn't really want to leave [the EU] at all".

He would not be surprised that if the PM is still in charge after the transitional period she would ask for even more time, he says.

Mr Farage says her plan will "upset queues of countries" outside the EU who want to do business with the UK because it suggested they would not be signing trade deals until 2022 at the earliest.

"The message from Florence today is Britain is not open for business - we will not be doing any deals with you for many years to come."

Claiming Mrs May is "wasting years and years of a golden opportunity", he added: "It's two fingers up to 17.4m people who voted for Brexit."

Sky News

Nigel Farage told Sky News a little earlier that Theresa May's speech had very little substance and it was clear the UK would leave the EU "in name only".

The UK would stay part of the current structures but ‘"rebadge the status quo", the former UKIP leader added.

Mr Farage said he wouldn’t be surprised if the two-year transition became "many, many more than that".

Theresa May has set out proposals for a two-year transition period after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.

She wants existing EU market access arrangements to apply during that period and promised Britain would pay its "fair share" into the EU budget.

She said the UK will be the "strongest friend and partner" of the EU after Brexit.

The speech in Italy was aimed at breaking the deadlock in Brexit talks, due to resume on Monday.

Read more

Conservative MEP Ashley Fox has urged the EU to respond positively to Theresa May's speech, hailing it as "a blueprint for our country's future".

"Brussels has been asking for concrete proposals and here they are," the MEP for South West England and Gibraltar said.

He added: "I hope Florence proves to be the cradle of a renaissance for both Britain and the EU."

Image source, Blake Morgan

"Theresa May set out to strike a conciliatory and calming note with today's speech in Florence," says Bruce Potter of law firm Blake Morgan, "but it was not enough to paper over the huge gap that remains between the UK's domestic political view of Brexit and the way that the rest of Europe sees it."

Mr Potter, who has written the firm's Brexit guide for businesses, adds: "The question of continued payments to the EU is a huge stumbling block which must be resolved if any useful talks are to take place on life after Brexit - the vital issue for the UK political audience.

"Mrs May has asked the EU to be 'imaginative and creative' but until she is more forthcoming about exactly what she wants Brexit to be, it is hard to imagine anything but continued deadlock."