emma vardy reports. this island's history is marked by struggles over land and sea. today brexit is redefining its modern borders. people here have found themselves caught in the middle of a political storm. you don't want to go back to the days of old. whatever happens, happens. idon‘t go back to the days of old. whatever happens, happens. i don't think it can makea happens, happens. i don't think it can make a gigantic difference to what higher powers decide. at northern ireland's larne harbour, everyday trucks arrive from britain. checks are needed on live animals but currently little else, because the whole island, north and south, is under the same eu rules, but now that will change. in future, new checks may be needed on some items coming into northern ireland from britain over the irish sea. northern

ireland's democratic unionist party believes the deal undermines the very integrity of the uk. believes the deal undermines the very integrity of the uki believes the deal undermines the very integrity of the uk. i know for the unionist community in northern ireland at the moment, this is quite a difficult time. i know many of them may be feeling vulnerable, and i want to say to them that the good friday agreement will be protected. northern ireland has achieved peace through british and irish lions identity. some people believe that shared identity can keep that in harmony, but no change is happening. it isa harmony, but no change is happening. it is a big deal for us. northern ireland always presents that problem, that difficulty of understanding what is happening, and identity filess if we are out, let's get on with it. brexit isn'tjust about trade on these shores, it is

the delicate balance of peace on this island which goes so much deeper. just one of those seemingly intractable issues that are being faced by the prime minister over the last few weeks and months. as she tries to sell her draft agreement to ministers — she is also trying to convince business that it's workable. today business owners who have repeatedly warned about the damage and chaos that exiting with no deal would cause — gave the agreement a mixed reception. our business editor simon jack has more. piecing together a brexit arrangement, today it was a product of two years of laborious negotiations, but how attractive is the deal on the table? all of rosa ashby‘s fresh flowers are imported from holland, and she says she is still uncertain about what will happen to her business. still uncertain about what will happen to her businessli still uncertain about what will happen to her business. i can't stockpile, they are perishable goods. i can't put them in the

freezer, do anything, so that is my livelihood. i have wedding quotes the next april. how can i give those? i don't know what the country is going to be like, and i don't know whether we will have tariffs put on, i don't know anything. so i feel we need a people's vote, because the public are more aware of what is going to happen. meanwhile big businesses like toyota were optimistic that this outline agreement was a step towards a transition period which would see the status quo preserved until at least december 2020, and a step away from a sudden brexit in march. we need an intimidation period on the same arrangement is now, and we need long—term free and frictionless trade, so if those things are the case, and we hope they will be, i think they will be very well received. some businesses are saying this is the only deal in town, we need to get behind it. others are saying it's worse than what we have now, we need to think again, have a second referendum. almost all of

them realise it might not make it through parliament, and then we are back to square one, and none of the businesses i speak to have stopped contingency planning for a new deal scenario. that includes premier foods, the makers of this dough and ambrosia custard, who said that they will not be changing their plans to spend £10 million stockpiling ingredients in case of delays at the ports. another delivery from holland, and with it, a reminder that other eu businesses are still looking for answers in the days and weeks to come. are still looking for answers in the days and weeks to comeli are still looking for answers in the days and weeks to come. i would like everything to stay the same. we have to wait and see what is going to happen in the coming months, and besides that, it is all the paperwork, so are we going to be delayed by the customs when we come over, or when we go home? we don't know. on the road back to holland, from business owners across europe the brexit journey is from business owners across europe

the brexitjourney is far from over. simonjack, bbc the brexitjourney is far from over. simon jack, bbc news. let's go to westminster and speak to stephen hammond — he's a conservative mp and former vice chairman of the party who in september this year said he hoped the prime minister would deliver a "negotiated settlement". thank you forjoining us. we still wait for the publication of the agreement itself, but do you think she has done that? she has clearly got a negotiated settlement. the key is what is in it, and like everybody else, apart from the cabinet, i haven't seen it, and therefore i think, i'm very surprised at all my collea g u es think, i'm very surprised at all my colleagues rushing out here with hotheads declaring partisan politics ata time hotheads declaring partisan politics at a time when we need cool heads and calm reflection, because most of us and calm reflection, because most of us haven't seen the deal. you are not getting a lot of cool heads and calm reflection of the moment. and i think that is very bad. nonetheless, laura kuenssberg, the bbc political editor, has been saying that there does seem to be a feeling that the brexiteers, rather than sitting and

waiting, are becoming of a brexiteers, rather than sitting and waiting, are becoming ofa mind brexiteers, rather than sitting and waiting, are becoming of a mind to say this will not do, and we want a no—confidence vote, and we wanted quickly. that is up to them. i think they need to think very carefully about the national interest. firstly, if the prime minister delivers a deal, which we haven't yet seen, if it is in the national economic interest, and i have been listening to your piece as many of your viewers will have done, showing that we need frictionless trade, we need common standards so that we can continue the prosperity that we have seen continue the prosperity that we have seen over continue the prosperity that we have seen over the last few years, by being a member of the european union, and we want close alignment, if they think that voting down the prime minister or voting down this deal is in the national economic interest, i think they can be very sure about that. the cabinet could go some way to making that decision for them, it has been for a half—hour is already and is still going on, does that worry you? at

one level i think that yet again, some people lead people to the view that this would be quick and easy, just as they said about trade deals, but of course not. this is the most important thing this country has done for 70 years, unsurprising that this cabinet is taking its time to reflect very carefully on what's being proposed. that is a very... they need to reflect carefully. that isa they need to reflect carefully. that is a very political answer, for a half hours to get through this session, there are clearly stumbling blocks on the table. possibly. how quickly do you read 500 pages? it would take me at least four hours to read them and discuss them. there are people with very differing views sitting around that table, there could be stumbling blocks, but this needs to be taken very carefully. due get any sense as a remainer that after a ll due get any sense as a remainer that after all this, many people will say at the moment no one can look at this and say, we got a pretty good deal. the fact is, if it is to be

taken, it is a recognition that a deal is better than no deal, because thatis deal is better than no deal, because that is all it is. i voted remain, andi that is all it is. i voted remain, and i think economically we would be better off in the european union, andi better off in the european union, and i have made that clear. but i accept the result of the referendum and therefore what i'm looking for isa and therefore what i'm looking for is a deal that secures our economic future. clearly it is going to be a worse deal than the one we had at the moment, because the one we had gives us favourable, frictionless trade, common standards, huge advantages some of which we will lose. but also no deal is catastrophic. but it isn't a truce between deal and no—deal, and there are other deals that could be explored if the brexiteers choose to bring down the prime minister's deal. but you say that the closer we managed to stay to the single market, to the customs union, the better? of course, because i worry

about my constituents' lives ofjobs andi about my constituents' lives ofjobs and i worry about the whole country. we should be thinking about the lives and prosperity of our constituents and our fellow countrymen, not worrying too much about finer points of economic detail which may or may not come into place. could i does ask you about the future perhaps your party? we have heard william rees mogg talking about let's go back a hundred years, possibly, maybe even 150 years, to defining moments for you, and it is perfectly clear and very public that the divisions are heartfelt, they are passionate, strong, and in many respects, probably irreparable. strong, and in many respects, probably irre pa rablelj strong, and in many respects, probably irreparable. i certainly agree with the first part of your statement, i have never criticised all been rule about any of my collea g u es all been rule about any of my colleagues on the media, because i recognise they believe this out a principle, i believe something different. i believe we both come from the same conservative tradition, but i do recognise that it will be difficult to repair the

party. we have big challenges in this country looking at building an infrastructure and technology for the 21st—century, making sure we have the right social care in place, andi have the right social care in place, and i genuinely really hope that at some stage, in the very near future, we will start looking at some of the big issues beyond brexit that affect people's lives. it is difficult for me come back and use said right at the start of this interview, i wish we had had some cool heads. there have been a lot of hot—headed remarks in the last 2a hours, even before the ink is laid out in front of everybody, and that doesn't help, clearly. clearly it doesn't, and i was once taught by one of the first people i ever worked for, don't go talking about things you haven't yet seen or talking about things you haven't yet seen or don't know too much about, and at the moment i haven't seen this deal, and i think a lot of my collea g u es this deal, and i think a lot of my colleagues would have been a lot better to wait and see what it says before they start making great pronouncements, which they may or may not choose to change their minds on later. stephen hammond, thank you very much indeed for talking to us here on bbc world news today we

still await for the cabinet meeting to conclude. in the meantime, it is nearly two and a half years since the vote itself on whether or not to leave the eu. we know which way that meant. so how are voters feeling about how the negotiations have progressed? in southmead in bristol, in the south west of england, 52% of people voted to leave, 48% to remain — the same as the overall uk result. jon kay has spent the day there to see how they feel about how things have turned out. we will not renege... it breaches the prime minister's own... you are not delivering the brexit... the prime minister has told us that no deal is better than a bad deal. it was a quite incredible state of affairs. while the politicians argue, the people wait — to find out what happens next. everything will come to a standstill. as she started work this morning, maria did not know where the uk was heading. how would you sum it up right now?

chaos. complete and utter chaos, isn't it? it doesn't feel like anybody knows really what's going on and it doesn't feel like anybody knows what they are doing, so, yes, quite scary, i suppose. as the pm faced the commons, stephen was preparing orders. he exports guitars to europe and has been waiting for a deal. when you see phrases like endgame, judgment day, decision day. what does that mean for you here? we don't know what it means for us. that is the real problem. it is a period of uncertainty while we wait to see which way it all falls. what is that like, living with that? stressful. two o'clock. as theresa may was trying to get her cabinet in line. whether they voted in or out, these dancers feel let down by all politicians. the prime minister is holding an emergency meeting

of her cabinet in downing street. they sound like schoolchildren. awful. dreadful. i suppose it is a complicated business. there is a lot at stake. people have very strong opinions. yes, but that is what they are paid for. they should be able to do theirjobs. how important do think it is to see in black—and—white? very important. very. and everyone says the same. why? because we are in the dark, aren't we? more than 100 miles from downing street, but this estate could be anywhere. waiting and wanting to know tonight how brexit will end. jon kay, bbc news, southmead, in bristol. we all want the answer to that one, don't we? the cabinet meeting is going on. we have a line coming from bloomberg news which suggests that dominic raab, the brexit secretary, was understood to be heading out to brussels, in fact we are now told he will not be going out this evening at least, and we wait to see, it

will be determined by what happens in the cabinet meeting as to whether we get that on the future relations with the eu in the days ahead, if things remain positive, we probably will. but the detail. how is that going down in scotland? earlier our scotland correspondent lorna gordon explained the scottish national party's response to the draft agreement. i think the snp government's position could be summarised in saying that they have been left in the dark and they are worried that scotla nd the dark and they are worried that scotland is going to be left out and left behind, left in the dark in the sense that they are very angry that they haven't seen as brexit deal thatis they haven't seen as brexit deal that is going to be discussed by uk ministers this afternoon, and left behind in the sense that they are very worried that if a special deal is cut from northern ireland, then there could potentially be a situation where scotland is competing forjobs with northern ireland, which is effectively

potentially staying in the single market. nicola sturgeon would say thatis market. nicola sturgeon would say that is the worst of both possible worlds, and her warning is that we shouldn't, voters here in scotland shouldn't, voters here in scotland shouldn't fall for the prime minister's spin. this from what i know of it is not a good deal for scotland. it would take scotland out of the single market, which would be bad enough in and of itself, but it would do so while leaving us competing for investment and jobs with northern ireland that would effectively be staying in the single market. that would be the worst of all possible worlds scotland. so what i think it is important now is that we don't allow ourselves to fall for the prime minister's spin that a bad deal has to be accepted, because the only alternative is no deal, it does not mean that no deal is inevitable if this deal is rejected by the house of commons, instead of what that opens the possibility for is getting better options like full single market customs union membership back on the table. we must be striving for what

is right for the country, and myjob is right for the country, and myjob is to strive for what is right for scotland, not accepting bad deals. it is ironic, is it not, that in the la st two it is ironic, is it not, that in the last two years, the prime minister has told us that no deal is better thana has told us that no deal is better than a bad deal, and now she is accepting that what we have to acce pt accepting that what we have to accept is a bad deal rather than no deal, that is a false choice. fishing rights are another potential flash point. remember the scottish conservatives increased their number of mps at the last general election to 13 largely off the back of the vote of the fishing communities in the north—east of scotland, and they will be watching very closely to see how the common fisheries policy is dealt with in this brexit deal, and the potential future of what's known as an independent uk, being an independent coastal state, the scottish conservatives will be coming under pressure in that area, and also they will be coming under pressure because of this rumoured northern ireland deal. back in october sources close to david mundell, the scottish secretary, and

ruth davidson, the leader of the scottish conservatives, she is now on maternity leave, they both said they would resign if northern ireland faces new controls that separate it from the rest of the uk, because that could fuel the case for scottish independence. david mundell appears to have walked back from that position subsequently. he clarified those remarks saying that it was not a threat to quit. but eve ryo ne it was not a threat to quit. but everyone will be watching closely to see if he is considering his position this afternoon. lorna gordon, with drama coming from other quarters as well, but let's focus in for a moment on that cabinet meeting in downing street, pushing the five—hour mark since ministers gathered to hear theresa may and work out what they think they want to do with it. vicki young is our chief correspondent, just getting the light right. it has changed a bit since you first got out there. any movement on that door at all? not a

lot. there was a little flurry of activity, but we are still waiting. they have been in there since two o'clock, so several hours. you never know quite how long these things are going to take, but it does show that they are all having their say, that they are all having their say, that they clearly haven't gone in there and rubber—stamp what they have seen in front of them, and they are asking for clarification, and i think in some cases they will be asking for reassurance. now there are those on the brexit side of the argument who are worried that this would end up with the uk being far too closely aligned with eu rules and the uk unable to get away and extra ct and the uk unable to get away and extract itself from that. the question for those people is out there willing to back this deal knowing it is not perfect, not exactly what they going to walk away? and then on the other side, even for very loyal cabinet ministers, the scottish secretary, david mundell, and other conservative scottish mps, they are very concerned about fishing rights. we also concerned that if northern

ireland is treated separately and has different arrangements from the restive united kingdom, in scotland they will be under huge pressure with the snp and other saying why can't we have a special deal, too. so theresa may is fighting on all fronts, waiting to get the backing her cabinet, and then we will see the documents finally. that is the other point here, only cabinet ministers have seen them, we will see those documents, and we know that the prime minister is also due to speak to the leader of the democratic unionist party, arlene foster, who has not welcomed what she has heard so far about what might be in these papers, and theresa may relies on her in the house of commons to get her vote through. most people seem to have made up their minds regardless. with the eu ambassadors all going home in brussels, dominic raab, the brexit secretary, is not going to brussels, we understand, that is the latest. it hardly points to a positive outlook at the moment, does it?|j don't think we can rule out that the

cabinet will have backed, i think a lot of this is because it is a conjugated document and a lot of them will be wanted to hear the legal advice from the attorney general, the government's most senior lawyer. he is in the cabinet and they will be asking him for his interpretation of what is written down in this legally binding document. so there will be a lot of that going on the cabinet minister i spoke to before they went in said that we would be expecting theresa may to go around the room, pointed to everybody in getting them to say what they want, so everyone has their say and everyone puts forward what it is they are concerned about, and they will be asking for her reassurance. we know what her message will be, we heard her say at earlier during prime minister's questions saying that you need to look at this in a national interest, not in your interests, not exactly what you wanted, this was never going to be the perfect deal, it was a lwa ys going to be the perfect deal, it was always going to be a compromise so look at it in the national interest, so look at it in the national interest, so she has compromised, but this is the best deal she think she can get, and now it is up to them to decide whether they can back up, and