Theresa May called on businesses to invest in youth, providing more apprenticeships and training the staff of tomorrow.

She also called for more investment in research and development to "help the UK become an ideas factory" and turn scientific discovery into "economic benefit".

And she wanted them to do more to increase representation of people from all backgrounds, and treat employees well.

Mrs May she got into politics "to help people that want to work hard and do their best" and that business had "an essential role to play".

She said firms could and should be "a force for good in our world", especially at a time when people were questioning what free trade does for them.

"All of you must play your part," she said. "Demonstrate you truly have a stake in our country."

Image source, Reuters

Mrs May listed how industries would be protected under her Brexit plan, saying it would protect free flowing trade for car makers and food providers.

She also said security cooperation would continue between the UK and EU. She went on to praise the "jobs miracle" in the UK, seeing more people in employment and wages growing.

She said Brexit was about, "getting a good deal that unlocks the opportunity of a brighter future for this country and all our people".

Theresa May goes on to say immigration will "continue to make a positive contribution" to UK life.

But it will no longer be the case that EU nationals can "jump the queue" ahead of people from elsewhere in the world.

Instead, she said, the UK will have an immigration system "built around the talent and skills a person has to offer".

Mrs May added that such a system would lead to greater opportunities for young people in the UK.

The prime minister has begun her speech to the CBI conference in London.

"There is one paramount issue facing our country at the moment and I know it is the number one concern of the CBI, so let me get right to it," she said.

No prizes for guessing what that issue is.

Mrs May said she had always been clear about her intentions for the Brexit negotiations and now she faces an "intense week of negotiations" in the run up to the European summit at the end of the week.

Tim Page
BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski is backing Theresa May over her draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

He told BBC Shropshire it's after getting a “distinct feeling” from his constituency party and constituents that she deserves the chance to put the agreement to Parliament.

Image source, UK Parliament

He says he doesn’t believe in changing the team captain towards the end of the game.

The prime minister is facing calls from some Tory MPs for late changes to the deal, after the draft 585-page withdrawal agreement was published last week.

Mr Kawczynski added that he hadn’t decided which way to vote on the Brexit deal when it comes to Parliament, but that “the numbers are looking very difficult” for Mrs May.

He says he intends to hear the views of local businesses before deciding, and will be “picking and probing” the document for how it would affect farmers in his constituency.

Image source, EPA

The EU's chief negotiator said member states would discuss and agree a definite end to the transition period during their meetings this week.

"The transition is not the beginning of the future relationship," said Michel Barnier.

"It’s something useful, expedient for both sides during the negotiation of the future relationship.

"It’s indispensable for the UK to prepare, to adapt its administration where necessary and of course for the economic operators to prepare. But it’s also a period of time during which we don’t yet know what comes afterwards."

He added: "The idea is that any extension, which requires agreement with the British on a financial contribution, can’t be indefinite it has to be a fixed period of time.

"Given the position of the 27 as they stand today... I believe we will make a final and specific proposal for these purposes during the course of this week.

"We’ll fix a final moment up to which we can have a single prolongation of the transition and this will all be by mutual agreement between the UK and the 27."

BBC News Channel

Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, Jenny Chapman, said her party would definitely be voting against the withdrawal agreement.

She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire: "It isn't good enough.

"It is not what we expected, it was not what we've been asking for."

She claimed that despite there being only a matter of months to go, her party could renegotiate the deal.

"Labour would have a completely different starting point, because we are saying we want a permanent customs union.

"All this debate around backstops and the Irish border - all of that is much, much easier to resolve."

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland’s First Minister has told a meeting of business leaders that long term uncertainty is “hard wired” into the current Brexit deal.

BBC Scotland reporter Steven Godden is watching Nicola Sturgeon address delegates at the National Economic Forum in Dundee.

She said it was important people did not allow themselves to be trapped in a false choice of accepting a bad deal for fear of a no deal.

She added that she believed there was a potential majority at Westminster for a deal that would keep the UK within the Single Market and the Customs Union and that her party would seek to build a coalition around that position in the coming days and weeks.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, PA

The leader of the Liberal Democrats said neither the government's proposed withdrawal agreement nor the suggested extension of the post-Brexit transition period were much use to the business world.

Sir Vince Cable told the BBC: "It may be that those businesses that are resigned to the idea that Brexit is going to happen will grasp at this.

"But of course it just means that for the foreseeable future there's complete uncertainty about our long term relationships.

"It just means that this cloud of uncertainty hangs over British business for the foreseeable future. "

ITV business editor Joel Hills tweets:

Ms Fairbairn adds: "It's a really serious issue and we do have a huge difference with government on [it]."

She questions the idea that if you shut off low-skilled route that jobs are going to be filled. "Pulling up the draw bridge would be a very damaging thing to do."

Image source, PA

Contingency planning has accelerated, says Carolyn Fairbairn, when asked about preparedness by the BBC's John Pienaar.

"Investment would have come here [has] not come here".

She talks about an investment that would have gone to the North East but has instead gone to eastern Europe. It's a "pattern" of business being lost, she says.

"If no deal is taken off the table, the fog will be there, [but] you will see a breathing space, you'll see firms believing they can move beyond this."

Ms Fairbairn repeats that the deal is not perfect and that a good deal should involve a say for the UK.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier called on all parties to "remain calm" and focus on the future agreement.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels after meeting with the 27 non-UK EU member states, he said: "We are at a decisive moment in this process.

"No one should lose sight of the progress that has been achieved in Brussels and London."

He added: "This [withdrawal] deal is fair and balanced.

"It takes into account the UK positions... both sides want to avoid using the backstop... and both the EU and the UK will have full control of their own legislation and rule making.

"[That] is essential for the UK in terms of taking back control.

"Now, more than ever, we must all remain calm and keep our focus on the need for the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion."

Jill Treanor
Business reporter, BBC News

Carolyn Fairbairn is now asked about the current Brexit deal.

"It takes the cliff edge of the table" she says.

And it charts a route to frictionless trade.

"People in this room are pragmatic and realists.. this a comprise that protects us from the worse outcomes"

Jill Treanor
Business reporter, BBC News

It's standing room only in the hall as Carolyn Fairbairn continues speaking,

She has a message to those who are talking about nationalisation - presumably she is referring to Jeremy Corbyn who is speaking later.

The last time nationalisation created "one of the darkest periods in economic history".

Come and talk to business, she says, to those seeking nationalisation.

Turning to immigration she says: "It's an opportunity and a great responsibility, she says, for the UK to set its own immigration policy.

"What has been proposed so far won't work".

Victoria Derbyshire

Tory MP Anne Marie Morris, who has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May, denied that the bid to oust the PM was failing.

She told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire that many MPs were “holding back” their letters until after the withdrawal agreement is voted on in Parliament.

“There are those who say they will [write letters] but it is all about timing,” she said.

Lord Peter Lilley, who supports the Leave Means Leave campaign, also believes Mrs May should go.

“Up until now I have been trying to discourtage friends in the Commons from putting in letters because I didn’t want a leadership election in the middle of negotiations.

“But the prime minister has come back with a deal that is the opposite to what she promised the people at the last general election, the opposite to what she priomised the caibent and she has bypassed the cabinet, and the direct opposite to what the people voted for on 26 June 2016."

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

The BBC's assistant political editor, Norman Smith, said Brexiteers are now under pressure to get the 48 letters into the 1922 Committee to trigger a confidence vote in Theresa May.

"Wind back to last week and everything we heard from the Brexiteers was 'we have got the numbers, we can do this, stand by for blast off'," he said.

"But here we are on Monday and we still don't have blast off.

"It is a big day for Mrs May but it is a big day for the Brexiteers too, because if they cannot press the button triggering a no confidence vote, people are going to say these guys are a busted flush, they are all talk and they can't deliver."

Jill Treanor
Business reporter, BBC News

Carolyn Fairbairn director general of the CBI is speaking now.

She starts with speaking about Brexit which she says is consuming government and also firms. Investment is flooding out.

Referring to the politics in Westminster, she says the "outcome could be an accidental no deal. Surely we can do better than this."