regional director for europe at the british council, and from stanford university, the historian niall fergusoning in first of all with you, niall, what is your version and your vision, i should say, for the future of britain after 2021? say the next five years. well, i would love to believe what the brexiteers promise, that by voting to leave the european union, we become global britain and perhaps part of a vital new rejuvenated anglosphere, but my impression is that the opposite is happening, that the divorce process, which may well still be going on five years from now is so absorbing british political culture that we have become significantly more parochial since the referendum, more inward looking. i visit britain regularly from the united states, and i am struck every time i come byjust how far brexit is consuming us and causing us to turn inwards, rather than outwards. in that sense, their plan is going rather wrong. if you say it is the political class that does not have the wherewithal to rise above this and lead us to a new beginning, maybe it is other people, culturalfigures, indust

what is our best chance, niall ferguson, in the next decade, for greatness, to put the great back in britain? well, i don't think the rest of the world expects greatness from post—brexit britain. i think light relief, comedy, those are the things that we have excelled at, rather like popular music. the paradox of britain is that we have got steadily worse at doing things like trade agreements, complex negotiations, ultimately brexit happened because a complex negotiation with the european union about britain's special status went horribly wrong for david cameron, and i think the negotiations of the divorce are also going pretty wrong, because david davis is not a match for michel barnier. luckily, we are still very good at entertainment and pretty good at most forms of culture, and that is why people will continue to come to london, expecting to be entertained and amused by our politicians. and they will be coming to lots of other cities throughout the united kingdom! that's all for this evening, but we leave you with the finalists of the 2017 comedy wildlife photography awards. pret

entering the next stage of brexit talks, we jump ahead with our guests, including the historian niall fergusonxamine britain's post—eu future, and how we want to present ourselves to the world. good evening and welcome to bbc news. eu leaders have agreed to move brexit talks on to the next phase, which will deal with the future relationship between britain and the eu. theresa may has called it an important step on the road to a ‘smooth and orderly‘ brexit. here's our political editor laura kuenssberg. the men with the message. part one is done. the european union is ready to grant the prime minister's wish and move on. she was a tough, smart, polite and friendly negotiator. and so we were able to conclude that sufficient progress has been made. to get this far on brexit, there has been some conflict and a lot of compromise. what is needed to get to the end of the next phase, and is theresa may's goal of a full agreement by march 2019 realistic? still realistic and, of course, dramatically difficult. the real negotiations on the second phase will start in march next year. i cannot say when thes

entering the next stage of brexit talks, we jump ahead with our guests, including the historian niall fergusonw we want to present ourselves to the world.