you are watching a bbc new special live from downing street on the day the united kingdom gets a new prime minister. stay with us as boris johnson will become the latest occu pa nt of johnson will become the latest occupant of number ten. he will take over from theresa may, occupant of number ten. he will take overfrom theresa may, promising what is being trailed as a bold domestic agenda, alongside his commitment to deliver brexit by the end of october and he will name the key members of his government team.

this afternoon, theresa may will travel from downing street to buckingham palace to offer her resignation to the queen and then borisjohnson will be granted his audience with her majesty. then the new prime minister will make his way from the palace to downing street, where he is expected to say a few words. the podium is in place where he will set out his government's agenda. sometime after three o'clock this afternoon, the queen will ask borisjohnson to this afternoon, the queen will ask boris johnson to form this afternoon, the queen will ask borisjohnson to form a government ina borisjohnson to form a government in a tradition known as kissing hands. he will become her 14th prime minister since winston churchill. and a rather emotional farewell from theresa may in herfinal appearance at prime minister question as she looks forward to serving once again on the backbenches. the communities, the commons that we represent, that is the bedrock of our parliamentary democracy and our liberty. each one

of us, wherever we sit, whatever we stand for, can take pride in that. that duty to serve my constituents will remain my greatest motivation. stay with us for full coverage of events throughout the afternoon as borisjohnson becomes the 55th person to become prime minister of the united kingdom. a very good afternoon from downing street on the day that boris johnson, afternoon from downing street on the day that borisjohnson, one of afternoon from downing street on the day that boris johnson, one of the most controversial and colourful politicians of modern times, is set to enter number ten as prime minister, with a promise to resolve the brexit deadlock and other things beside. he replaces theresa may who has spent three turbulent years in thejob. she will has spent three turbulent years in the job. she will have something to say on her last day in office when she leaves number ten very shortly. she is enjoying a spot of lunch in the downing street garden right now. after formally tendering her

resignation to her majesty, her duties will be over and boris johnson will, within minutes, take over when he accepts the queen's invitation to form a government. we expect him to arrive around four o'clock this afternoon. he will say a few words no doubt as his predecessors have done when he arrives, to set the tone of his premiership, before he steps inside to meet the senior officials, before he starts assembling his government. our chief political correspondent, vicky young, is here with us. a lot of events to cover. let's reflect on the significance and the milestone that we are recording today. the significance and the milestone that we are recording todaym the significance and the milestone that we are recording today. it does not feel that long ago that we stood here at the last transition from david cameron after the referendum result, such a shock for everybody, and then theresa may coming here, full of hope, saying she did not

wa nt to full of hope, saying she did not want to be defined by brexit. it did not happen. she was not able to deliver brexit because of the splits in her party and because of a hung parliament. none of that has changed. that is the most important thing to say. yes, there is a change, not in the sense of the administration, but a change of prime minister with all the same challenges that theresa may faced which made her premiership so difficult. for her it is hard to look back on any kind of legacy because people will say she had one thing she had to achieve and she did not do it. before we talk about what is ahead and the make—up of the new team, as much as we know so far, and the kind of tone borisjohnson will set, let's reflect a little more on theresa may's departure and the of tone she set again at prime minister's questions today, which was pretty competent. in the past we have had sessions of prime minister's questions at the end of a

premiership which were far more reflective and friendly. today's was more like political business as usual. and one of the reasons she has not been able to achieve what she wanted to, she did not want to leave at this time, it was not her time of choosing, even though she said she accepted her time was up and jeremy corbyn should do the same. one reason is and jeremy corbyn should do the same. one reason is brexit and the divided nature of the house of commons and the acrimony we have had over the last few years. i have seen nothing like the total breakdown of discipline in the tory party and the labour party, brexit has cut across all party loyalties and it has made it very difficult, and it will make it very difficult, and it will make it difficult for anyone to lead. secondly, i do not think there is any genuine friendship between theresa may and jeremy corbyn. they are very different people and have very different views and you could tell that today, there was not much friendliness between them. you see that at the state opening of parliament, where they do not have

much to say to each other. there we re much to say to each other. there were other moments. jo swinson, the new liberal democrat leader, there we re new liberal democrat leader, there were some sisterly exchanges which we re were some sisterly exchanges which were more friendly. harriet harman, the mother of the house, the longest serving mp, paying tribute to someone serving mp, paying tribute to someone who has been a female prime minister. jo swinson said what did theresa may think about men doing a betterjob theresa may think about men doing a better job without doing theresa may think about men doing a betterjob without doing the work? she talked about the fact that it was only labour who have not had a female leader. we have already had resignations. they started yesterday. some significant ones today. bring us up to date. it is worth saying this is unusual. it is not unusual people go when there is a reshuffle, but to say so openly daysin a reshuffle, but to say so openly days in advance i cannot serve under this person. it is astounding. i spoke to a female minister last week who said, i cannot do it. i will not do it, i will resign. it is mainly

because of brexit and the idea that borisjohnson because of brexit and the idea that boris johnson might pursue, because of brexit and the idea that borisjohnson might pursue, as government policy, and no—deal brexit. some people are not willing to go along with that. team boris johnson will say they were going to be sacked anyway. the chancellor, philip hammond, who has not had the best relationship with theresa may, has written his letter, and talked about the achievements, the incredible creation ofjobs at a time when people said it would not happen. he will see that as his achievement. but how will he behave on the backbenches? all these people leaving the cabinet, rory stewart, david gauke, how will they behave? how far david gauke, how will they behave? howfarare david gauke, how will they behave? how far are they willing to go to stop borisjohnson how far are they willing to go to stop boris johnson pursuing how far are they willing to go to stop borisjohnson pursuing no deal if it comes to it. david gauke has said privately to me and publicly that he would not vote against a tory prime minister in a vote of confidence, but philip hammond has not ruled that out. it is astonishing that we are facing

possibly in the autumn senior tory backbenchers who might even consider bringing down a tory prime minister and all of that and what it entails and all of that and what it entails and possiblyjeremy and all of that and what it entails and possibly jeremy corbyn and all of that and what it entails and possiblyjeremy corbyn ending up in downing street. as you see it is very sunny and very warm. downing street is packed with the world's media, ready to see what boris johnson eventually has to say when he arrives later on. we will talk a bit about the process of going to the palace in a short while. what tone do you expect him to strike?m is difficult because he has this persona , is difficult because he has this persona, this character. putting together a piece about him, what you do not know and what his advisers cannot tell you, is itjust persona? is it put on for the cameras or is he like that all the time? i cannot imagine he is like that all the time because it would be exhausting. if you look back at the material, as an mp, as the mayor of london, and

whatever you think about his politics, it is amusing. you watch the way he behaves in front of the cameras, and i was on that so—called loris baz during the referendum and you saw him going around the country and there were adoring fans, hundreds of them, waiting to see him. a couple waited to see him and they were so disappointed that they we re they were so disappointed that they were not going to see him. that is what he brought to the referendum campaign. he brought that and he energised it and many people blame him for the referendum result or love him for the referendum result. they crucially think he was key to it. it was the most important decision he has ever made. some people say he made it because he wa nted people say he made it because he wanted to be prime minister. we will pause there for a second. i would like to go to another part of westminster where the chief secretary to the treasury, liz truss, who is now backing boris

johnson after her own leadership campaign. what do you expect, first of all, the kind of tone that boris johnson will set when he arrives here ina johnson will set when he arrives here in a few moments' time?m johnson will set when he arrives here in a few moments' time? it will bea here in a few moments' time? it will be a positive, optimistic tone, first of all about delivering brexit on the 31st of october, which is a huge priority. we have been in a period of limbo that needs to end. also we can expect to hear more about his domestic pledges, boosting education funding, levelling up the country, so that places like northern cities have the level of infrastructure and the opportunities that are here in london. when you think of that level of investment, clearly some people have concerns that if we leave the eu without a deal, the entire money equation will change and some of those promises will not be delivered. what is your perspective on that? we are already spending on infrastructure at a a0

year high and it is important to prioritise that, because that will lead to future growth. but there are areas where we can stimulate the economy, for example cutting taxes and cutting red tape on business. we have got a very good record in terms of reducing unemployment, but we need to boost economic growth. there area need to boost economic growth. there are a lot of things we can do in britain to make our economy more successful. can i ask you on the viewers' behalf whether you would share with us any discussions you may have had on the role you may play in this new administration?” have no idea at all. i am focused on making sure that boris has all the support he needs to deliver what is a massive agenda for the country. i am keen to serve in any role he wa nts am keen to serve in any role he wants me to serve in. would you like to stay at the treasury?” wants me to serve in. would you like to stay at the treasury? i have honestly had no discussions with him. it is very much the prime minister's decision about how he

gets the most out of people. we have got a hugely talented group of people who are ready to serve in government and we are all very excited by the prospect first of all of delivering brexit, but also making the british economy a massive success. we have focused so much on the brexit challenge, not surprisingly, because it is such a momentous decision and a momentous process , momentous decision and a momentous process, how difficult will it be, do you think, to make political room for other things on the agenda? you talk about the domestic agenda and all the rest of it, but given the scale of the brexit challenge, is it not extremely difficult to make more space for other things before that to settle ? space for other things before that to settle? we have got 100 days to deliver brexit by the 31st of october. that will be a major priority for the government. but i do not think it is enough to do brexit, we have to address issues

like housing, like infrastructure, making sure that britain is brexit ready. we have to be a competitive economy, we need to make sure that the people of britain have the opportunity to set up businesses, to export more. that goes hand in hand with delivering brexit, so i don't think you can divide those two issues. boris is a delegate. as the mayor of london he was good at bringing a team of people together to deliver right across the board andi to deliver right across the board and i am sure that is what he will do as prime minister. what is your realistic assessment of his chances of renegotiating the deal by the end of renegotiating the deal by the end of october? lots of people think, however much energy he puts into it, is an incredibly challenging task. we have already spent three years discussing the ins and outs of it with the european union. what we have been missing is time pressure of having a deadline. with a clear deadline of the 31st of october,

there is a strong opportunity to get movement from the european union in terms of what they are prepared to offer. i think he has a good chance offer. i think he has a good chance of securing a deal, i think he has the right approach, making sure that we are prepared as a country for all eventualities and we are not fearful ofa no eventualities and we are not fearful of a no outcome. of course we want to get a good deal and that is the best way of doing it. many thanks. we may see you walking into downing street a bit later, we will see. thank you. liz truss, the chief secretary to the treasury. the current prime minister, the outgoing prime minister, theresa may, is having lunch with her husband philip inside number ten. we will be leaving downing street to travel that short journey along the mall to buckingham palace where she will have a formal audience with the queen and where she will tender her resignation. my colleague sophie is they're keeping resignation. my colleague sophie is they‘ re keeping an resignation. my colleague sophie is they're keeping an eye on things.

we are expecting the queen to return to buckingham palace any minute now. you can see on the roof of buckingham palace people gathered up there, the flag party ready to lower there, the flag party ready to lower the union flag and to raise the royal standard when she appears in the next few minutes just after two o'clock. with me now is our royal correspondent nicholas witchell. talked us through what will happen this afternoon. it will be a well choreographed but busy few hours. well choreographed routine. the queen en route from windsor at the moment. ordinarily, she would have gone up to balmoral last week to begin her summer break but she postponed that and remained in the south because it is a moment of such political significance, the transition from one prime minister to another. the only person who can invite someone to form a government is the head of state, the queen. the flag over the palace is still the union flag, so she is not there yet

but will be shortly. there are seven range rover is moving through the private entrance of her quarters but i think that is probably not her. i suppose in about an hour or so, we don't have precise times, theresa may will make this familiar journey she has made every week for the prime ministerial audience with the queen every wednesday evening. but for the final occasion she will do that as prime minister and she will come in and tender her resignation. i'm sure it will be quite a reflective conversation with the queen. they will do the formal business, the tendering of the resignation, just theresa may and moloch, but then the queen will invite mr mayjoin them. —— matt theresa may and the monarch. the union flag has gone down. i guess that was the queen going in that we just caught sight of. the royal standard is about to be raised. she is back in her private quarters and

it will be in the private audience room in her private quarters where these audiences take place. then theresa may will leave, we think in a different car, she arrives in the prime ministerial vehicle and will travel off to berkshire in a different car. very shortly afterwards, with david cameron and theresa may the gap with 30 seconds. they almost bumped into each other! we were in their spot three years in 11 days ago. borisjohnson will arrive in a non—prime ministerial vehicle. there is the royal standard going up as we speak. he will be invited in, just himself, and accompanied for this audience. they will go into the private audience room and the queen will invite him to form an administration. that is purely on the basis he is the person who can command the confidence of the house of commons. that is the only thing that counts when a british prime minister is being chosen. they will then have a conversation. when theresa may was invited to form a government it was about half an hour or so, there was

quite a bit to talk about. the last meaningful occasion the queen will see her new prime minister until he is invited up to balmoral at the end of september. thank you for now. the scene of september. thank you for now. the scene is set, the queen has arrived back at buckingham palace. back to you, huw. many thanks, we will be back straightaway when there is more activity there. let's pop over to another part of westminster, where our political editor laura kuenssberg is waiting for us. we mentioned a few of the resignations and we are having some more social media contributions, not least i notice from former prime minister david cameron today. yes, he has in the last few minutes online congratulated borisjohnson, wished him well and paid tribute to the officials who work behind the shiny black door as some of the most talented out there, who will be there to serve him and help him through what is unquestionably a moment of great political anxiety for the country. much is uncertain.

also, before he has even moved in, a moment of great political peril for the man about to become the prime minister. interesting listening to nicholas witchell saying for a monarch, the only thing that matters is if they prime minister can command a majority in the house of commons. today, we can say that borisjohnson commons. today, we can say that boris johnson probably does commons. today, we can say that borisjohnson probably does but only just. with some of those ministers who are resigning today, the chancellor philip hammond, david gauke, rory stewart, we are going to see a new rebels in the house of commons who may well be wishing borisjohnson commons who may well be wishing boris johnson and the commons who may well be wishing borisjohnson and the conservative party well, but who will not be afraid at all of speaking out if he does what he says he is prepared to does what he says he is prepared to do and fails to get a deal with the eu and then decides therefore to leave the union without there being a formal arrangement in place. high sta kes. a formal arrangement in place. high stakes. very high stakes, laura, as

you say, and lots of this now depends on the kind of team that mr johnson will assemble, notjust in terms of ministerial posts but in terms of ministerial posts but in terms of ministerial posts but in terms of those posts, in terms of advisors and all the rest of it now. given what we have learned so far, with nothing formally announced, what do you make of all that? i always kind of thing when a prime minister puts a cabinet together, it's a bit like they are putting together the index of a book they wa nt to together the index of a book they want to write about their time in office. it tells us an enormous amount of what they want to try to do, what they think is important and also the kind of impression they wa nt to also the kind of impression they want to give to the country. so the bit that boris johnson's team want to give to the country. so the bit that borisjohnson's team today have been very proud and open i want to talk about is they have committed to talk about is they have committed to having more ethnic minority ministers than ever before, more women in full posting cabinet than ever before. they are also raising eyebrows already, before he has even been to the palace, particularly westminster has gone crazy this morning with the appointment of

dominic cummings. our viewers might remember he was the chief of the vote to leave campaign. controversial, not just vote to leave campaign. controversial, notjust because he is willing to offend people, willing to behave quite radically if it gets between him and the goal he is trying to achieve. but also because vote leave were found to have broken electoral law overspending in the referendum campaign. so for some people, the idea of sending dominic cummings into numberio people, the idea of sending dominic cummings into number 10 is an absolute anathema. there are a lot of conservative eyebrows being raised about it this morning forced on the contrary, some others see it, this is borisjohnson's determination to try and get things done. in particular, to try and stick to that halloween deadline, by which point we will leave the european union do or die. in terms of the cabinet, i think we will see borisjohnson of the cabinet, i think we will see boris johnson trying of the cabinet, i think we will see borisjohnson trying to show a balance across the conservative party but big—name jobs are going balance across the conservative party but big—namejobs are going to go to brexiteers. perhaps, dominic

raab could be bumped up to foreign secretary, a big promotion for him. priti patel coming back, a lot suggestions today that she might become the home secretary. again, that would be a very significant promotion for someone with her experience. that i think still, the role ofjeremy hunt, who has been in the cabinet for nearly a decade, is resolved. there is something of a stand—off between the two men. boris johnson wants him to stay in cabinet but wants to move him out of the foreign office as i understand it right now, jeremy hunt is still saying no. what will be the consequences of someone what will be the consequences of someone like mr huntjoining mr hammond, david gauke and others on the backbenches? i think they are very different characters. on one hand, conservatives i have spoken to this morning, members of the cabinet who hope to stay on think moving jeremy hunt out would send a bad signal about boris johnson's commitment hunt out would send a bad signal about borisjohnson's commitment to party unity. the flip side of all

that, of course, is if he tried to move him, that has become public and thenjeremy move him, that has become public and then jeremy hunt manages move him, that has become public and thenjeremy hunt manages to arguing him into staying in hisjob, that looks weak. so as i understand it, borisjohnson is looks weak. so as i understand it, boris johnson is determined looks weak. so as i understand it, borisjohnson is determined to be pretty resolute on this one. jeremy hunt also is, and i think would be, on the back and inscrutably loyal mp. i don't necessarily think that he might be one of the new rebels taking their seats on their backbenches. laura, we will talk later but thank you very much. lots to come, including the prime minister's departure and boris johnson's including the prime minister's departure and borisjohnson's own arrival here in downing street. all of that to come, so stay with us on bbc news. in a moment, we will talk to sian lloyd, my correspondent in cardiff and chris page in belfast. we wa nt cardiff and chris page in belfast. we want to get the perspective on each part of the united kingdom on this process, because all parts of the uk clearly are very deeply affected by what happens here today.

first, let's go to scotland and join lorna gordon. your thoughts there on scottish politics and how it is affected by what happens with boris johnson's arrival? i think it is fair to say boris johnson is alert to the challenges when it comes to scotland. he has already said when he assumes the title of prime minister, he will also add alongside that of minister for the union. but i really think the response here in scotland has been fairly muted, at best, to the fa ct been fairly muted, at best, to the fact he won that conservative leadership party contest yesterday. the snp earlier today saying he has no mandate in scotland. scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon saying she has profound concerns about a boris johnson saying she has profound concerns about a borisjohnson premiership andi about a borisjohnson premiership and i think particularly that would be to do with his do or die leave the eu by october 3! even if that means a no—deal brexit. and if that happened, the pressure would really

mmp happened, the pressure would really ramp upfrom happened, the pressure would really ramp up from the smp for a second referendum on independence. notjust the smp but the scottish conservatives, the two most senior conservatives, the two most senior conservatives in scotland have been lu kewa rm conservatives in scotland have been lukewarm in their support for boris johnson thus far. you look at david mundell, the foreign secretary, he said he would find it extremely difficult to serve in a boris johnson cabinet because they don't agree on a range of issues. he has changed his position a bit since then, congratulating mrjohnson. it will be interesting to see what happens in the cabinet reshuffle a little later. most people think it is hard to see who would replace david mundell at the current time. and then ruth davidson, the leader of the scottish conservatives, she is not a fan either. she did not vote for him. she did congratulate him but she said judge him on his actions. she said mrjohnson faces an enormous task as prime minister atan an enormous task as prime minister at an incredibly challenging time

because of brexit, yes, but also because of brexit, yes, but also because of brexit, yes, but also because of scotland. in particular, if there is a no—deal brexit. that is the situation here in scotland. for more northern ireland, our colleague chris pages at stormont. yes, this part of the uk certainly will present big challenges for the new prime minister in a number of ways. in many ways, northern ireland is at the sharp end of brexit because of that land border with the irish republic, which became robert blay the biggest sticking point in the whole brexit process. in particular, opposition to the backstop was the reason why theresa may's deal didn't make it through parliament because of that is the insurance policy, the full—back arrangement that would kick in if there is no big trade deal between there is no big trade deal between the uk and the eu in future and would mean there wouldn't be any new checks on that land border but it would mean the whole of the uk would remain in effect following european customs regulations in northern ireland would be more closely tied to the rules of the european single market. that is why many

conservatives opposed it and why the democratic unionist party were so strongly against it. the dup will be critical partners for boris johnson in the weeks ahead. it is their ten mps who keep the minority government in power. the confidence and supply deal that underpins the dup's support for the conservative party was up for renewal anyway, whether or not there was a new prime minister, there were always going to be new negotiations to renew that deal. the dup preparing for those discussions with mrjohnson. they have said their priorities will be firstly and most importantly for the dup securing northern ireland's place in the union, secondly delivering brexit, the dup always in favour of the uk's exit from the european union, thirdly restoring devolved government at stormont. there has been no power—sharing executive here for two and half years since the coalition between the dup and sinn fein collapsed. sinn fein have given a pretty hostile reception to borisjohnson so hostile reception to borisjohnson so far, accusing him of pursuing a

catastrophic no deal agenda. and now cardiff and sian lloyd. there is apprehension here in wales about what a boris johnson premiership could mean here. not least because of his pledge to take the uk out of the european union do ordie by the uk out of the european union do or die by the end of october is very much at odds with the message we get from the ministers here in cardiff bay, which is that no—deal brexit would be catastrophic for the welsh economy, in terms of fewerjobs, in terms of exports and also in terms of tariffs. also, mrjohnson's suggestion that the conservatives should have some say over how the cash that replaces the eu's structural funds that wales receive should be spent has certainly raised the hackles of the wales first minister mark drake said. he has welcomed a pledge from mrjohnson that he would match the money that

wales currently gets from the european union and we understand there will be an exchange of letters between the two leaders tomorrow. the leader of plaid cymru, the nationalist party here in wales, has already written to boris johnson. adam price has said he will be the most irresponsible prime minister in a generation if he enables no deal. now, there are also questions about what the union unit that mrjohnson has proposed will actually mean here in wales, how will it impact and influence wales? the welsh secretary has said that it would consider the impact of day—to—day issues on the uk nation as a whole. he was a supporter of boris johnson in uk nation as a whole. he was a supporter of borisjohnson in his leadership campaign so we know that the new prime minister will be very much considering his top team. mr cairns has said he is hopeful of keeping his place at the cabinet table. sian lloyd, thank you.

concluding our contributions from glasgow, belfast and cardiff and reflecting the fact that the choice of new prime minister will greatly affect politics in every part of the united kingdom. with that in mind, i would like to bring in sirjohn curtis, the political analyst and professor of politics at the university of strathclyde. good to have you with us. just wondering first of all, what would you say to viewers about the significance politically and constitutionally of what we are witnessing this afternoon? what we are witnessing is the resignation of a prime minister who in the end proved unable to achieve the principal raison d'etre of her government. although nobody cast a vote of no confidence against her, she never lost a formal vote inside

her party, in the end she had to leave the room and had to realise her authority as prime minister had dissipated and she had to stand aside. she is now being replaced by somebody who has got a different background and the issue that has been central to our politics in the last three years, brexit, mr johnson, the best—known spokesperson in favour of the vote leave campaign, a charismatic politician, and somebody who has committed to ensure that this country is out of the european union come what may by the european union come what may by the end of october. he has set himself an important promise, but this is a prime minister who takes this is a prime minister who takes this country outside of the european union, which many people would regard as one of the most important policy decisions in the uk has made since i9a5. policy decisions in the uk has made since 1945. what will you be looking for when you see the make up of this new cabinet and the kind of tone

that boris johnson new cabinet and the kind of tone that borisjohnson himself new cabinet and the kind of tone that boris johnson himself will set when he steps up to the podium in downing street in maybe a couple of hours' time? what are you looking for? there were two messages from boris johnson's acceptance for? there were two messages from borisjohnson's acceptance speech yesterday and more broadly in the campaign infavourof yesterday and more broadly in the campaign in favour of him. one is brexit and he is willing to leave the european union with no deal. i expect that to be reflected in the appointment of the most senior posts in government of those who are regarded as brexiteers, like dominic raab. but the second message is very much borisjohnson the centrist politician on domestic politics and to what extent would he retain in his cabinet people like amber rudd with important responsibilities for domestic policy and thereby create the possibility of having a

relatively broad—based cabinet that stretches across the span of the left and the right of the conservative party if and when brexit is over? he has got these two agendas and he has got to make it clear that it is the leavers who are in charge, but on the other hand he has got the prospect of a conservative government that will be operating from the centre of the spectrum. we will talk to you later. iam going spectrum. we will talk to you later. i am going to stop there because i am told we have not got long to wait here in downing street, a matter of minutes, before theresa may leaves number ten for the last time as prime minister and makes her way to buckingham palace for the audience with the queen. there she will formally tender her resignation. not long to wait. vicky young, our chief political correspondent, is still with me. this is the moment after prime minister's questions that we

have a little thought on the prime minister's last few years, which have been challenging and difficult andi have been challenging and difficult and i would have thought emotionally draining as well. this is the final opportunity to set the message at the end of the premiership. opportunity to set the message at the end of the premiershipm opportunity to set the message at the end of the premiership. it will be interesting whether she just looks back or whether she will have advice for her successor. it feels like she has made one of her last speeches from here, the one where she broke down in tears saying she had felt privileged to have served the country she loved. it was very emotional. it will be interesting to see if we get that today. she has had lunch in the garden of downing street with philip her husband and is speaking to staff. they normally come out and stand around to say farewell. for some of them it is the end of theirjobs here as well. we have been hearing already about the people boris johnson have been hearing already about the people borisjohnson will be appointing. there will be a shift, it is not a new party in charge, but

it is not a new party in charge, but it will still be that moment. she will have to think about her legacy but it is very hard. she came in and had to deal with brexit, herjob was to deliver brexit, and she failed. she will say she has not failed necessarily because people did not vote for her deal. but there are people very critical of the way she approached it. by saying brexit means brexit and calling the general election, that was the worst mistake. by calling the election, for many people that was the issue which changed the entire thing. she was hoping to get a resounding majority in the house of commons which would have helped her get through whatever she wanted to do, whatever brexit that would be. no one really knew for sure what kind of brexit she wanted. by losing the majority, having to go through an agreement with the dup just brought so agreement with the dup just brought so many problems for her which have

not gone away. since then the majority has got smaller. it is a working majority of two with the dup, if they are still on side. who knows what might happen in by—elections? it is not a particularly optimistic prospect for a new prime minister coming in and having to deal with that. when we talk about boris johnson wanting having to deal with that. when we talk about borisjohnson wanting to do other things, as theresa may wa nted do other things, as theresa may wanted to do, it proved very difficult. brexit has been all consuming in whitehall with civil serva nts consuming in whitehall with civil servants working on it. if the plan is to ramp up the preparations for no deal it will cost money and it will mean more time and effort for civil servants to do all that. it is finding the space to do other things. but i think his team want to because they know he can get a different message across. he has talked about trying to sort out social care, something we have talked about for over ten years, and that has not been graphs by any government. it is hugely expensive.

hugely expensive and very controversial. we can see them coming out preparing the lecture we re coming out preparing the lecture were theresa may will speak. coming out preparing the lecture were theresa may will speakm coming out preparing the lecture were theresa may will speak. it will be the last time as prime minister, and then she will walk down to her car. quite often people do it with theirfamily. i car. quite often people do it with their family. i don't car. quite often people do it with theirfamily. i don't know if philip would be by her side. certainly the staff will come back. the officials and the civil servants will be lining the corridor at number ten to say goodbye, as they will do to say hello to the new prime minister. some of them will be in the street and there will be faces in the windows as well. it is an historic moment. it always is. lately we have had two very long serving prime ministers with margaret thatcher and blair, but the chairman has been a bit more frequent recently. then going off to see the queen in the

moments we do not have a prime minister, it is normally minutes or half an hour, and then it is very swift. the next person comes in and their agenda starts by sacking people. that is a moment for boris johnson as well and we think he will go to the house of commons to tell those who have not resigned that he no longer wants them before he gets a meeting in place. my sense is we should be within seconds of the prime minister coming out to give herfinal prime minister coming out to give her final address prime minister coming out to give herfinal address here to prime minister coming out to give her final address here to the media. while that happens, we just need to think what theresa may will be thinking herself when she steps out for the last time to see the world's media here, all the flashbulbs. just three years ago since she came in to a similar scene, three years ago since she came in to a similarscene, and now three years ago since she came in to a similar scene, and now it is dramatically different circumstances. we know from what she said that it is with regret that she is leaving after three years when

she did not want to. she did not feel she had achieved what she wanted. i think she personally still believes that her deal is the best way forward, that it reflects a pretty tight referendum result, it was the only thing that would get through a hung parliament, but it was not to be. the critics say, even those on her own side, said you will have to bring labour mps alongside you because you will never satisfy jacob rees mogg and those on that side of the party. they would never go for what she wanted, which was effectively a compromise. what has been interesting is the division in the brexiteer mps if you would like. michael gove decided it was the right deal, it was not perfect, but it was better than no deal. people still do not know whether it will happen at the end of october, despite what borisjohnson says. i think we can hear some cheering? did you hear cheers? just a few. i

suspect we are within seconds. one point worth picking up on now and maybe later is that mrs may will be somebody who will put her contribution in on the backbenches unlike previous prime ministers. contribution in on the backbenches unlike previous prime ministersm is difficult having been a prime minister, what do you do? david cameron initially said he would stay as an mp and then sat through one prime minister's questions and said, i cannot do this. he has gone off to make money, making speeches, trying to write a book. theresa may has said she will stay on the backbenches. will she make things very difficult for her successor? i am not sure she will, it is not her style. on the other hand, she believes in her deal, in her brexit compromise. the staff are coming out behind us. we can see her director of communications and other members of communications and other members of staff, the backroom people that we see, that the public do not see.

many of those will be moving on immediately. they leave with her. some of her mps are there and some of her closest friends and advisers who have been with her a very long time. and from theresa may's point of view, having been a cabinet minister for of view, having been a cabinet ministerfor nine years, and a lot of ministers talk about getting back into real life, even the tiniest of things like they have not had access to their own computer, people do things for them, they opened doors for them, they get their food, you do not have to do anything for yourself. lots of prime ministers have talked about going back into the real world. the door is opening and the prime minister leaves number ten with her husband philip for the last time. i am about to go to buckingham palace to tender my resignation to her majesty the queen and to advise her to ask boris johnson to form a new administration. i repeat my warm congratulations to boris on winning

the conservative leadership election. i wish him and the government he will lead every good fortune in the months and years ahead. their successes will be our country's successes and i hope that they will be many. their achievements will build on the work of nearly a decade of conservative or conservative led government. during that time our economy has been restored, our public services reformed, and our values defended on the world stage. of course, much remains to be done. the immediate priority being to complete our exit from the european union in a way that works for the whole united kingdom. with success in that task can come a new beginning for our country, and national renewal that can move us country, and national renewal that can move us beyond the current impasse into the bright future the british people deserve. to serve as prime minister of the united kingdom

is the greatest honour. the heavy responsibilities are outweighed by the huge potential to serve your country. but you achieve nothing alone and as i leave downing street my final words are of sincere thanks to my colleagues in government and parliament, to everyone in the building behind me and across the civil service. to the men and women of our armed forces and security services, and to the public servants in our schools, our nhs, our police and the other emergency services, all are inspired by the noble wish to serve their country in the national interest. i also want to thank the british people. everyone who loves our great country, who works hard for their family and once their children and grandchildren to enjoy greater opportunity than they

did, thank you for putting your faith in me and giving me the chance to serve. this is a country of aspiration and opportunity and i hope that every young girl who has seen hope that every young girl who has seena hope that every young girl who has seen a woman prime hope that every young girl who has seen a woman prime minister now knows for sure that there are no limits to what they can achieve. finally and most of all, i want to thank my husband philip who has been my greatest supporter and my closest companion. that wasn't me. the answer to that is i think not. i am about to leave downing street but i am proud to continue as a member of parliament for maidenhead. i will continue to do all i can to serve the national interest and play my pa rt the national interest and play my part in making the united kingdom a great country with a great future, a

country that truly works for everyone. applause prime minister theresa may with her husband philip after three very turbulent years in downing street, laying out what she thinks the main achievements of her time are, acknowledging the challenges, but also giving her commitment to cooperating and supporting the new administration, which will be led by borisjohnson. very constructive statement by the prime minister to end her three years. it must be a very difficult moment, but she and philip are now making their way down the pavement, along to the official car that is waiting to take the prime minister to buckingham palace,

where her majesty the queen is now in residence and is waiting to grant the audience to the outgoing prime minister. vicki — what did you make of that statement? interesting talking about the future and the challenges ahead and suggesting she will be as supportive as she can. also interesting when she talked about being a female prime minister, something that is really important to her. so many of her colleagues had said to me that she really felt the responsibility as a woman, of setting an example, of showing young girls that there are no limits to what you can achieve. she really, really did feel that an her push for equality, their work she has done over the years... again, equality, their work she has done overthe years... again, it equality, their work she has done over the years... again, it is because of her that people like amber rudd have gone into politics. she has been a driving force behind encouraging other women to become conservative mps and that has been a theme, i think, conservative mps and that has been a theme, ithink, of conservative mps and that has been a theme, i think, of her own

premiership and something she will look back at and feel very proud about. you do wonder when they make that journey now along whitehall and along the mall what the conversation in the car will be. probably talking about the brexit protester... inaudible who does shout at times. it was a rather funny who does shout at times. it was a ratherfunny moment who does shout at times. it was a rather funny moment when we heard him shouting "stop brexit!" , and her reply, i think not. we are in a position where the outgoing prime minister is on her way to the palace and as soon as that audience happens, who knows how long that will take because i think the queen will take because i think the queen will want to have a fairly relaxed conversation with mrs may. it is to end the three year premiership, something you wouldn't want to hurry and no doubt she would bomb the

prime minister's frank assessment of what has gone on over the three yea rs what has gone on over the three years in power. —— she would want the prime minister's frank assessment. then it is carefully choreographed. we will then have borisjohnson being choreographed. we will then have boris johnson being driven choreographed. we will then have borisjohnson being driven to the palace, to arrive there within minutes of mrs may's departure. so that audience will then take place. and as nicholas which always suggesting earlier on, that will be an important audience notjust because he is the new prime minister but it will probably be the only chance to have a significant exchange before the traditional prime ministerial visit to balmoral over the summer. that is the order of events, if you like. my colleague sophie is at buckingham palace. let'sjoin sophie to sophie is at buckingham palace. let's join sophie to tell us what is going on there.

the first of the police out riders arriving at buckingham palace, halting the traffic. we can see theresa may's car arriving, a about to sweep around the victoria memorial before it enters the gates of buckingham palace. small crowds here, who have gathered in the last 10-15 here, who have gathered in the last 10—15 minutes. some people came up and asked us what was happening today, a british woman wanting to know if it was something important or if it was always like this on a day in central london. the prime minister because my car going into the gates of buckingham palace, where she will sweep across the forecourt. and then passed through the central arch before she is driven into the inner quadrangle of the palace and met by the queen's private secretary ahead of a private audience with the queen. we don't know how long that will take this afternoon, when david cameron came

here to resign just three years ago, here to resign just three years ago, he was in there for a good 30 minutes or so. theresa may equally could spend as long with her majesty this afternoon. the car sweeping up to the king's entrance, where the queen's private secretary will be waiting. our royal correspondent is with me first explain what will happen now. all the paraphernalia of moving on outgoing prime minister, three years and ii moving on outgoing prime minister, three years and 11 days. theresa may greeted by the queen's equerry. set edward young, the queen's private secretary, who will escort the prime minister up one flight of stairs. the queen's senior lady in waiting also greeting them. cheers and applause as she arrived? absolutely, very polite tourists here. during any significant arrivals like that. but now, the prime minister theresa may, as she still is, will be taken up may, as she still is, will be taken up one flight of stairs to the

queen's private audience room. the room in which she will have her weekly audiences with the room. in that room, just her and the queen, just the two of them. they will do the formal business. theresa may will submit her resignation and then the queen will invite mr may to join them and they will, as we had come have a relaxed but informed, given the gravity of the political situation, about what is going to happen now. it is clearly not necessary for the queen to take the advice of the outgoing prime minister as to who should be summoned to form the next administration, that has been sorted out. it is possible the outgoing prime minister can, if asked, offer a view on that but it won't be necessary on this occasion. well, we just wait now. it could come as you say, be half an hour or so. they have a lot to talk about, a lot to reflect on. the queen will be curious to hear her outgoing prime

minister's perspective on what is the likely best course of action now, in relation to brexit, and many other issues in which the queen ta kes a other issues in which the queen takes a close interest. constitutional monarch never expressing a view in public but keenly interested in private. in terms of timetable, that will happen, theresa may will leave, come out of the gates of buckingham palace, properly not in a prime ministerial car, she will have changed vehicles. within a minute, certainly it was like that with david cameron, boris johnson certainly it was like that with david cameron, borisjohnson will speak through the gates of the palace. until that happens, the uk effectively has no prime minister. for a few moments, yes. it was very brief. as we said earlier, they almost bumped into each other. i didn't theresa may's convoy had to slow down to give time for david cameron because my convoy to leave three years and ii data ago to stop the choreography is well practised. we don't know precisely where boris johnson is coming from but he will arrive in a non—prime ministerial

vehicle of some description, though he seems to have access to some fairly formal limousines and already has special branch protection. he will go in and go up, the same procedure will be followed come into the audience room, where the queen will invite him to form the next government, to be her iath premier. iamjoined by government, to be her iath premier. i am joined by charles anderson, former press secretary to the queen in the 1990s and worked in downing street tenderjames in the 1990s and worked in downing street tender james callaghan in the 1990s and worked in downing street tenderjames callaghan and margaret thatcher. you have a very goodidea margaret thatcher. you have a very good idea of what will be going on right now inside the palace? i think there is a great contrast between the transfer of power, where the procedures are pretty straightforward. but it is a very big day for an outgoing prime minister, a watershed in a political careerand minister, a watershed in a political career and for the incoming minister, a watershed in a political careerand forthe incoming prime minister, the future lies ahead and the problems lie ahead. it is an interesting mixture of formalities, but also a very emotional moment.

theresa may would have said goodbye to all of her 100 staff at number 10. it is a very small office, numberio, compared to 10. it is a very small office, number 10, compared to the white house or the french presidency. she would have said goodbye to everybody. that, i remember from whenjim everybody. that, i remember from when jim callaghan left everybody. that, i remember from whenjim callaghan left in 1979, was an emotional moment for him and audrey, his wife, and also for those who had worked for them. a lot of those staff will then go on to work for borisjohnson. so those staff will then go on to work for boris johnson. so there those staff will then go on to work for borisjohnson. so there is those staff will then go on to work for boris johnson. so there is a seamless transfer in that way. but behind it, quite a lot of emotion. i think in terms of today, i think theresa may coming to see the queen at the end, not the end of but i watershed moment of her career, the queen will be a steadying influence. she has had audiences every week, would have had an audience last week on some of the more substantive problems of the day. sol on some of the more substantive problems of the day. so i would expect today's audience would rather less formal. the reassuring, very

personal. philip may welljoin for the farewells. and weekly meetings, they get to know each other very well. and at the easel audiences we never know what is said, it is between them. in the 67 years of the queen's rain of meeting prime ministers every week, there has never been any leak on either side, from demonic's side certainly not an equally from her —— from the mononoke's side and also the prime ministers. i think the audience with the sovereign is a very confidential and relaxing moment but as every prime minister knows, they can say whatever what they want and be totally frank with the queen without ever being passed on to anyone else. charles, for now, thank you. back to

huw. thank you, sophie. what i would like to do now is to go live to new york, where the leader of the brexit party nigel farage is waiting to talk to us. nigel farage is waiting to talk to us. still basking in the praise of president trump, i am assuming, who suggested the best outcome from his point of view would be for you and the new prime minister to be working closely together. what is your reading of that? trump is a numbers man. he looks at things like the peterborough by—election where the brexit party and conservatives together got over 50% of the vote and labour won the seat with 31%. tour said there are two parties here, one committed leader of the conservative party, if they work together, they win. if only life was so together, they win. if only life was so simple! indeed. are you telling viewers you think the prospects of that are pretty remote?” viewers you think the prospects of that are pretty remote? i think the conservative party upper echelons

have always absolutely loathed me. still a majority of them do not want a clean break brexit, they want to try and revisit this dreadful deal that mrs may negotiated with brussels. the only circumstances in which we can talk about this at all is if boris johnson which we can talk about this at all is if borisjohnson was committed to us is if borisjohnson was committed to us just leaving on wto terms on the 3ist us just leaving on wto terms on the 31st of october. i take the view that no deal is the best deal available right now. but ijust don't see him moving to that position. but i hope he surprises me. well, he has been clear, hasn't he? he said do or die, it will happen in some form on 31st of october? well, if he really means it, and let's hope he does, if he really means it, i don't believe that is achievable. he has got virtually no majority whatsoever. there is no sign the european union are going to budge so i would have thought the only way then would be an early general election. if he has the

courage to do it, then we still could get a proper brexit on 31st of october. behind—the—scenes, nigel, have there been any conversations, what can you tell viewers about the kind of contacts, tell viewers about the kind of co nta cts, if tell viewers about the kind of contacts, if there are any, between you and your people and this, some of the people in this new incoming administration, how would you describe that? not formally with boris johnson's tea m not formally with boris johnson's team but there are lots of mps sitting in parliament quite openly chatting and speculating and saying, look, if boris decides to go for no deal, we simply have to get together. nothing formally with boris johnson's team. he together. nothing formally with borisjohnson's team. he thus far has said he would not do a deal of any kind with us. i understand that, because if he was to contemplate it, it would lead to resignations from the conservative party. from our perspective, we would absolutely have to believe in what he said. here is the hard part. theresa may told us 108 times we were leaving on

the 29th of march, we didn't. boris johnson tells us do or die, were leaving on the 31st of october but i'm not holding my breath on that! when you look at certain individuals, foreign instance dominic cummings, a key figure in the league campaign, now assuming a very important role behind the scenes in downing street, is at the sort of person who encourages you or not? i think that's a far a good appointment because he is putting in place people who believe in leave. where dominic cummings stands on another referendum, we have to wait and see but at least he was part of the leave camp. who is the brexit secretary going to be, the chancellor, the northern ireland secretary? these are the big appointments and we will find out whether boris is trying to balance his own party between leavers or remainers or puts in place a team dedicated to getting this over the line. all that i guess we will know in the next a8—hour is.

we certainly will. we may know some of those top names today. you mentioned some of the great offices there. for example, if someone like dominic raab became foreign secretary, do you think that would bea secretary, do you think that would be a constructive move or not? yes, i do. be a constructive move or not? yes, ido.i be a constructive move or not? yes, i do. i heard jeremy hunt talking two days ago about shipping in the gulf and the need to build a european protection force, european navy. i would european protection force, european navy. iwould much european protection force, european navy. i would much rather see someone navy. i would much rather see someone like dominic raab, who believes in brexit and doesn't want us believes in brexit and doesn't want us being part of a european army. nigel farage, good to talk to you again, thank you forjoining us from new york. let's go to brussels and talk to our europe correspondent. given that even nigel farage is saying he does not see any chance of negotiating a new deal by the end of october, and iam assuming new deal by the end of october, and i am assuming that is the view where you are as well? well, sort of, but

not exactly. what the eu is saying is they are standing ready to work constructively with mrjohnson and that they want a negotiated exit, a brexit deal. michel barnier was talking a bit earlier today and he was saying the choice is mr johnson's. does he now come forward and say he is looking for a negotiated exit? the eu's favourite option. or is he looking for and no deal exit? nigel farage talks about it as deal exit? nigel farage talks about itasa deal exit? nigel farage talks about it as a wto exit, but it would be an exit with nothing in place and the eu has been making clear today that that would be, in the words of the parliament here, a catastrophic severance, which would have profound economic consequences. he was making the point that the eu will not, and is not contemplating having any mini

deals, side deals in place, to mitigate the impact of a no deal if thatis mitigate the impact of a no deal if that is what the uk goes for. the eu is saying very much there is a withdrawal agreement that addresses all the issues that need to be sorted out for an exit. what they are prepared to talk about is the future relationship. offering that and saying the ball is in boris johnson's court and waiting to see what he comes forward and says. what could be the area for manoeuvre here? we are looking at images of buckingham palace where the audience with theresa may is still going on. what in your view, given what boris johnson has said, and not much detail about the possibilities of moving on some of these areas, where do you think the biggest promise is ofan area do you think the biggest promise is of an area of compromise?” do you think the biggest promise is of an area of compromise? i think it is very difficult to see at the minute. but there are a couple of

possibilities. the one that is openly on the table is the discussion about the future relationship, the document that goes alongside the exit treaty, the withdrawal agreement, that is already there. that is the document about the future relationship between the uk and the eu. the eu has all along said it is open for negotiation and they said today particularly if the uk once a closer relationship that will help solve a lot of the problems that exist at the minute. that is an easy thing to do. one other area where there might be room for manoeuvre is the eu has signalled in the past that the design of the irish backstop to keep the border open, it was done in a way that terry may asked for to cover the whole of the uk. the eu originally suggested something where just northern ireland would sit aligned with eu rules. i think they would be quite open to reverting to

that. the problem with that is politically in the uk in parliament it is anathema to the dup. it is very difficult for boris johnson it is anathema to the dup. it is very difficult for borisjohnson to approach that sort of idea. but, other than that, it is very hard to see because the eu is making clear that those fundamental aspects of the withdrawal agreement, the deal with keeping the border open, the uk's financial obligations to the eu and the rights of citizens, those must be addressed as they are now. there cannot be any changes that would do away with any of that and that has been the eu's position from the very beginning throughout this whole negotiation and it is really difficult to see that the eu would row back from that now, having maintained that position throughout. final question on personalities if i can. of course a lot of the senior people we are talking about in brussels and in the commission and

elsewhere are familiar with boris johnson after his role as foreign secretary. talk us through the dynamics of the personalities here and whether that will be a helpful oran and whether that will be a helpful or an unhelpful factor in these negotiations. well, it is very difficult to say how that will play out. mrjohnson is a known quantity as foreign secretary and in his prehistory as a journalist here in brussels. i have to say that leads to scepticism amongst many here from their dealings with him in those roles. they are not sure of quite how they will be able to deal with him and what sort of an interlocutor he will be. they are looking for someone he will be. they are looking for someone who will be pragmatic and who will sit across the other side of the table and someone who will get the deal through. i am not sure at the minute they see that in mr

johnson. that is why they want to see what he comes out and says. with theresa may we went through a similar process. when she assumed the role of prime minister she was welcomed by the eu. they said they wa nted welcomed by the eu. they said they wanted to work constructively with her. she set out her red lines and those focused the path the negotiations went down. similarly the eu is sitting back waiting and wondering what choice borisjohnson will make. will he choose no deal or try to get the deal through? those red lines that he is set in, and he has already set some in his campaign, will help determine the nature of the relationship and interaction. for now thank you very much. damian grammaticas, our correspondent in brussels with the perspective from the european union and what the senior officials there at the commission i think of today's events here in central london in

downing street where we have a change of prime minister. we have already seen the departure of theresa may and we are expecting the arrival a little later of the new prime minister and the new conservative leader borisjohnson. before we take another look at what is going on at buckingham palace where mrs may is still having her audience with the queen, i would like to bring in the scottish national party's leader at westminster, ian blackford. it is a very key and powerful grouping at westminster for the very key and powerful grouping at westminsterfor the snp. very key and powerful grouping at westminster for the snp. what is your perspective on this change of power today? it is a very significant day. i can understand how the prime minister must be feeling, the emotions. all of us wish her all the best. we have had very sharp political differences with her and she came in at a difficult time. she has not been able to deliver brexit. she never really ca m e able to deliver brexit. she never really came to terms with the fact it has been a minority government as she has not been able to work across

parliament. there are divisions in society we all need to recognise and have to try and heal. one of the things is she has never really recognised the importance of the devolved administrations, whether that be in edinburgh or cardiff. we need to recognise where we are and where we go forward. i am very worried about the new prime minister and what he has said, that we are leaving the european union do or die on the 31st of october. he was asked last week about the impact of a no—deal brexit and he could not a nswer no—deal brexit and he could not answer the question. it is clear to answer the question. it is clear to a majority of mps that are no—deal brexit will harm our communities. it will lead tojob brexit will harm our communities. it will lead to job losses and perhaps a recession in the uk. we want to do what we can to make sure we stop that no deal and there is a responsibility on us to seize control of the agenda in parliament to make sure we can strike out no deal as a default option. that is what i will focus on. quite clearly

borisjohnson does what i will focus on. quite clearly boris johnson does not what i will focus on. quite clearly borisjohnson does not have a mandate from parliament or the people of scotland. in my own country people are looking on at what is the chaos of this place and ultimately the people of scotland will face that decision as to whether they want to be an independent country or carry on with what is the chaos that we have down here. what are the options? what is the likelihood he will be able to come back with something noticeably different from brussels after some negotiations there? are you just assuming that will not work out for him? no, it is not going to happen. the european union have been very resolute that they would be sticking to the withdrawal agreement that they have. of course there is scope for negotiations about the future relationship, but that will not satisfy the rebels on the tory side apart from anything else. those in the erg, the backstop will remain in place because it is there as part of

the good friday agreement. i cannot see how borisjohnson is going to satisfy the different wings in his own party, never mind anywhere else. will we still be in europe at the end of october? i will suggest we would be. will parliament legislate to ta ke would be. will parliament legislate to take no deal of the table? i think it will. i think this will run on for a period of time. the arithmetic in the house of commons in terms of delivering a no—deal brexit is something that will not work for boris. when you look at the way the forces are lined up in parliament, and you just mentioned the challenging arithmetic, what significance would you say to viewers about the fact that you have a former chancellor in philip hammond, a former minister like david gauke or rory stewart and others, who clearly have a very strong view on some of the potential outcomes, would you suspect they

would be ready to cooperate with you in that eventuality? i would say to parliamentarians right across the house that we have to work together in our national interest. to be fair we see the same impact. something crucial happened last week when we had the vote on stopping boris johnson taking us out of the european union by closing down parliament. parliament voted to stop him doing that, by a majority of ai. a number of conservative mps voted with us and some abstained. some of those could vote with us in the future and that majority is there. we have that responsibility and the voters expect us to work together. i will play my part as leader of the snp in that process. none of us will benefit from a no—deal brexit and it will inflict harm on the economy of the uk and it will result in significantjob the uk and it will result in significant job losses. the the uk and it will result in significantjob losses. the uk government has warned of the consequences for food supplies and

medicines and even for the supply of water, the fundamentals of life. as politicians we have a responsibility to stop that. we may have differences in terms of what we would like to see happen, in terms of those who want brexit to happen and those of us who want to remain in the european union, is a broad alliance, that no deal would be an act of supreme stupidity and one that would leave the economy significantly weaker. the imf and the office for budget responsibility and the government itself has spelt that out. we must stop that. good to talk to you again, thank you for joining us. ian blackford, the leader of the scottish national party at westminster. so, the audience between mrs may and the queen is still taking place. let's join so once again at buckingham palace. yes, theresa may has been inside buckingham palace, her private audience with the queen, for more

than 15 minutes. we don't know how long it will take. last time when david cameron came to tender his resignation he was therefore a good 30 minutes or so. we will know when it is over either by the movement of ca rs it is over either by the movement of cars or by an official statement. generally it is the footman opening the doors. it is 23 minutes and counting. she went in at about 2:3apm by my watch. we must assume that the formal resignation has happened, so the uk does not have a prime minister at the moment. they will be having a huge conversation and after such intense and conflicting emotions, there will be a relief and regret. i would imagine it is quite a therapeutic moment to be able to talk to the queen about that and paul on her experience of previous such occasions. it will be a useful ending for anybody giving up a useful ending for anybody giving up the office of prime minister to have this conversation. and a royal

historian is with us as well. we don't know where boris johnson historian is with us as well. we don't know where borisjohnson is coming from. when theresa may came here she left from the houses of parliament three years ago. boris johnson will be the iath prime minister for the johnson will be the iath prime ministerfor the queen johnson will be the iath prime minister for the queen under her reign which is an extraordinary achievement. it tells you something because there is one constant in politics, and that is the queen. she isa politics, and that is the queen. she is a great repository of experience and she has lived through difficult times, good times, happy times and sad times for her personally with a series of prime ministers. but i am interested in the personal side of it. audience comes from the latin word to hear and that is what it is all about. it is an intimate setting in which intimacy can never be allowed to develop because of political neutrality. i wonder what boris will see this afternoon and what the queen will see when she looks at him? he will see what we see, an elderly lady still flying

the flag for britain with her halo, her silver hair, doubtless wearing something silky and floral with magnificent pearls at her throat, and she will see who she has doubtless been reading about in great detail, the good, the bad, the ugly and frankly at times the unbelievable things. she will also have met him on a number of occasions, like when he was at the london olympics and he was the london olympics and he was the london mayor, so she will know him already. she will, but she will have read the ongoing soap opera that is borisjohnson and read the ongoing soap opera that is boris johnson and all the stuff about his first lady, our first love actually of the prime minister. the fundamental question is does he or she command the confidence of the house of commons? that is a crucial

thing, because without that, no government can perform its task. the queen will ask those questions without becoming engaged politically at all, butjust without becoming engaged politically at all, but just to know that the process of government can proceed smoothly. but this is a hugely important, constitutional moment for us? absolutely, a huge day. looking across at the victoria memorial, that gilded figure holding it hands up, is it exulting heaven or welcoming boris question that we are yet to see! the queen politically neutral, always. she never utters any opinion on anything. but we shouldn't forget she is a massively informed head of state, keeps a close interest in politics, keeps her views to herself as a constitutional monarch but also interested in the day—to—day gossip, if you like, of politics, of westminster. she is well informed at every level of that. receives a

daily report when parliament is sitting the stock will receive reports from her private secretaries and so on. she will know a lot about borisjohnson, robbie and so on. she will know a lot about boris johnson, robbie more and so on. she will know a lot about borisjohnson, robbie more than borisjohnson, robbie more than borisjohnson, robbie more than borisjohnson will be comfortable with. interesting you said what will he make of her but more interestingly, what will she make of him?i interestingly, what will she make of him? iam interestingly, what will she make of him? i am sure they will have a serious conversation. this will not bea serious conversation. this will not be a moment when you are one on one with the head of state, who has been there since 1952, when you are the 1ath holder of the office of prime minister, not a moment when you will be able to get away with wisecracks, when you will be able to blaster or evade. i am sure the queen will have some if not sharp questions, some pointed questions, well, what are you going to do? how are we going to manage our way out of this situation we have found our way into? it will be the moment, really, when boris

johnson will have to come up with the sort of answers the queen would expect her prime minister to be able to deliver, with as we said earlier, the grip of detail and the perspective and the knowledge that she would justifiably expect from someone she would justifiably expect from someone who has the confidence of the house of commons, just, and who she has just invited, the house of commons, just, and who she hasjust invited, when the house of commons, just, and who she has just invited, when this moment comes, to be her latest prime minister. at the moment, we are still looking at the pictures of the victoria memorial. london in its summer green glory. she has been there half an hour now. yes, sort of average length for this sort of audience. there is a lot to talk about. it can't be too brief otherwise that would be lacking in courtesy, wouldn't it? i think it is important that mrs may has said an opportunity to reflect, the queen to give mrs may an opportunity to sort of unburden herself as a police car

coming out but it is not the convoy leaving. here we go, we seem to have ca rs leaving. here we go, we seem to have cars leaving buckingham palace now. the police stopping the traffic. is that a vehicle coming out of the forecourt now? yes, police out riders. here goes theresa may. her resignation complete, cheers from the crowd as she passes out of the gates of buckingham palace, going up towards hyde park corner. 3:03pm, almost exactly half an hour. no longer prime minister of the united kingdom. so we can expect, very shortly, to see borisjohnson arrived. the helicopter searching out the route he may take. it was less then a minute, i think 30 seconds last time round, when theresa may swept up. she came up bird cage walk as the incumbent prime minister. and then went back down the mall towards downing street. we can see cars arriving,

approaching, in fact, street. we can see cars arriving, approaching, infact, i street. we can see cars arriving, approaching, in fact, i think that is indeed bird cage walk. white back know, that is the outgoing prime minister. i do apologise. going off to berkshire or home aware of it is, to berkshire or home aware of it is, to maidenhead. here we go. the right honourable theresa may mp had an audience with the queen this afternoon and tendered her resignation as prime minister and first lord of the treasury, which her majesty was graciously pleased to accept. that the statement. so now we have a vacuum because right now we have a vacuum because right now the united kingdom has no prime minister. strange we didn't see the usual pictures of her emerging through the king's d'or, which is normally the first indication we have the audience is over. perhaps the heat has got the better of the camera in there. hopefully that won't be the case when we see mr

johnson arriving and going in, making the same entrance theresa may made over half an hour ago. there she is on her way up. that looks like going up park lane. absolutely, heading out on the ma, towards berkshire. now we await boris johnson. he will go through a similar event, as it were. a private audience with the queen, which involves kissing hand, explained that, charles. it is an ancient term. in the old days, hundreds of years ago, that is what happened at court, kissed hands. now it isjust a term. it is a handshake. it is the moment where the appointment is confirmed. kissing of hands confirms the appointment of the prime minister. so legend has it tony blairdid try and minister. so legend has it tony blair did try and kiss hands. in his biography he said there was a brief brushing of the lips. but there is a

kissing of hands at the privy council which will take place tomorrow. right, as i said, very shortly afterwards, i thinkjust a minute or so afterwards, i thinkjust a minute or so later we can hear the police out riders approaching up the mall, speeding towards the victoria memorial. big crowds now gathered here outside buckingham palace. so we are still over there... here outside buckingham palace. so we are still over there. .. the arrival of the united kingdom's1ath prime minister. you can hear them coming. here they are. and we have a protest. the way is being blocked. greenpeace protesters. greenpeace protesters forming a human barricade across the mall. i don't think we have seen anything like this before. my have seen anything like this before. my first in 20 years of doing these things. they have staged that very well. people with placards further down the mall. there is the incoming

prime minister's are now, making his way forward with the special escorted group of the metropolitan police, the outriders, buzzing around, trying to clear a way through the traffic. here they come round the victoria memorial, speeding ahead. at considerable speed. they will be hoping there are no further protest is lurking just as they approach the main gates. few shouts from the crowd but they have arrived, inside the forecourt of buckingham palace. if you cheers from the crowd. borisjohnson arriving at buckingham palace for his audience with the queen. we will see him any moment coming through the central arch to the inner quadrangle. a very different reception to the one theresa may had. again, his carsweeping into that quadrangle. he will also be met

by the queen's private secretary and then be taken the short walk from then be taken the short walk from the queen's entrance, up one flight of stairs to the queen's audience room. there he is. the first we have seen of borisjohnson today. shaking hands. he will be led inside the palace, waving to some of the crowds, the tourists you can see. and in he goes. we are unlikely to see borisjohnson now until he is the next prime minister. we will see a photograph, won't we? we expect to. 3:08pm, in he goes. a slightly more eventful arrival than we are accustomed to but he is safely inside. in a few moments, he will be being asked to be the next prime minister. unaccompanied, no sign of

his partner. as expected. it may not last as long as is customary when a prime minister's spouse accompanies them. but on this occasion, there is no shortage of things to talk about so no shortage of things to talk about so maybe it will be another half an hour or so. they have a very short time to get to know each other because you have the weekly audiences at the queen by the queen is about to leave for balmoral, at the weekend. privy council meeting tomorrow, there will be this kissing of hands and i imagine that perhaps the new prime minister would attend that privy council meeting although it is not confirmed. it is very important the queen gets to know him as prime minister in the next half hour, because as you say, she is about to go to balmoral. she delayed her departure in order to be here for this but she will be going to balmoral at the end of this week and she won't then come some unforeseen circumstance, won't see her new prime minister until he is invited up prime minister until he is invited up there for the traditional balmoral weekend at the end of

september. boris johnson will be going to balmoral, what will that be like? it is a very informal weekend, it happens once a year with every prime minister. arrives on a friday and stays until sunday. it is obviously a very good opportunity for the queen to have a very leisurely discussions, as well as a formal audience sometimes within that weekend. they will talk state business and some of it very, very sensitive. but outside of that, there will be lunches and dinners and there will be a barbecue on the saturday night out on the hill somewhere. prince philip traditionally used to always cook at that barbecue. the queen obviously liked to have a hand in it as well. a very informal opportunity for her first minister, her prime minister, to talk and get to know much better her new prime minister. 0k, to talk and get to know much better her new prime minister. ok, for now, thank you. let's just show you, we

have the official announcement from buckingham palace that theresa may has resigned this afternoon, in an audience with the queen, the right honourable theresa may mp tendered her resignation as prime minister and first lord of the treasury. her majesty was graciously pleased to accept. so theresa may was there, and audience with the queen for a good half an hour. we can expect borisjohnson to be with the queen for roughly the same time, i imagine. let's go back now to huw in downing street. sophie, thank you very much. yes, indeed, some interesting scenes there. a little bit of unexpected events there. a little bit of unexpected eve nts o n there. a little bit of unexpected events on the mall. i think it was a climate change protest, which they attempted to stop the cavalcade but the police cleared it away fairly quickly and then we saw boris johnson entering buckingham palace pretty soon after that. that

audience, as sophie was telling us, is now formally under way. the audience with mrs may lasted around half an hour. this one, surely, will not last any half an hour. this one, surely, will not last a ny less half an hour. this one, surely, will not last any less than that, i would have thought, because they would be quite a bit to talk about, in terms of the programme of government and the new prime minister's time limit plans over the summer. all are to talk about. because other waiting in the forecourt, near the great king's entrance inside buckingham palace. that is ready to bring the new prime minister back here to downing street, where he will arrive and where i can tell you, vicki and i are waiting here, along with the world's media. they have already put up world's media. they have already put upa podium. world's media. they have already put up a podium. we think it is a new podium, not the one theresa may used is that they put up a new podium ready for mrjohnson's arrival here. vicki, before we talk about what mr johnson is likely to say when he arrives, i think it is only right to

update viewers as well on those people who have now left the government. there are quite a few of them? yes, we had philip hammond earlier from the cabinet, the former chancellor. rory stewart, hasn't beenin chancellor. rory stewart, hasn't been in the role very long. stood for the leadership himself is not made quite an impact, certainly raised his profile. he seems to have resigned on twitter by emo g. david gauke, we expected that, he has resigned, making it very clear it is because of boris johnson's view that he will leave at the end of october come what may, do or die. david gauke said he cannot go along with that because he doesn't go along with a no—deal brexit and says he can express that much better from the backbenches. a bit of a warning to borisjohnson to the backbenches. a bit of a warning to boris johnson to stop the backbenches. a bit of a warning to borisjohnson to stop david liddington, a former europe minister, very pro—eu has been effectively theresa may's deputy prime minister has also resigned. that is quite a powerful group of people now, seem to be on the remain side of the argument was that they would say they voted for brexit

several times but they will be fighting no deal from the backbenches, you can be sure. david liddington especially, they are all interesting but david liddington because of what he said on social media, not least the fact that he went out of his way to say we have very high quality civil servants and i think he is including diplomats in this country. he says their advice must be respected and, even if that advice is unwelcome, may be lots of people will see that as a clear reference to what happened to the us ambassador. i wrote to borisjohnson yesterday, he says, to tender my resignation and goes on to make the point about policy advice and that he is looking forward to returning to the backbenches. lots of these people today are notjust to the backbenches. lots of these people today are not just saying to the backbenches. lots of these people today are notjust saying i am leaving the government, as you said, they want to make a point and the point is notjust about brexit, not just about the no deal scenario. in this instance, it is about the way in which they see borisjohnson

possibly approaching the manner of government and the way he might government and the way he might govern and they don't like this. know, and they are not the only ones. 18 months ago talking to people in the house of commons there we re very people in the house of commons there were very few people who thought borisjohnson had were very few people who thought boris johnson had a were very few people who thought borisjohnson had a chance of coming back and try to be leader. but one person said to me it is because the tory party is desperate. many people are looking at their seats and nigel farage's brexit party is eating away at their vote and they are fearful because brexit has not been delivered and they could lose their seats and they want someone who they think could be a winner. not all of them are convinced it will work. one really close ally said to me, just before he won the bird, how long will it last? that is a supporter and friend. they are concerned about how this will go because of the hung parliament and the powerful figures

on the backbenches, some of whom are not ruling out voting against a tory prime minister to potentially bring down a tory government because they feel and no deal scenario is so damaging to the economy in particular. david gauke is worried about security and what it will do to prosperity and that is why he is prepared to fight it in that way. so the next question is who will replace these people? a pretty big clear out already and boris johnson will saxon others. the business secretary, greg clark, has not resigned because he wants to be told he is sacked. someone on the business side of things who things are no deal would be a very bad option for the british economy. who will take over? does borisjohnson do what theresa may does and finely balanced the whole time and keep the numbers even between those on the leave side of the argument and those on the remains i? i am not sure

borisjohnson will do that. if you look at some of the names in the frame making a comeback, like priti patel, people are talking about bringing back the gang that was on the vote leave bus. his ally say he gets things done, he will shake things up and he will make sure brexit happens, that is what he is known to do. maybe priti patel will come back in, sajid javid as chancellor potentially in dominic raab coming back in. what does he do with the brexiteers? in buckingham