SPECIAL REPORT: Brexit starts today as Theresa May triggers Article 50

After months of debate the premier will fire a letter off to European leaders this morning to start the two years of formal Brexit proceedings.

The historic day comes as the results of a major Worcester News poll can be revealed, which suggests a softening of attitude towards the bloc.

We asked our readers how they could vote if the EU referendum was held today, with 4,133 people taking part between 10am on Monday and 2pm yesterday.

Some 56 per cent (2,335 people) opted for Remain with 43 per cent backing Leave (1,771), while just one per cent (27) would not vote at all.

The findings also led to a deluge of reaction with people writing and emailing in, or leaving comments on our website or social media outlets - sparking a fierce debate not seen in Worcestershire since last June.

Today's triggering of Article 50 has been described as an "important milestone" by Worcester MP Robin Walker, who now faces the toughest period of his career as a Brexit minister.

After listening to Mrs May delivering a statement in Parliament today, he plans to get onto the phones to ring up leading European figures, kicking off a period of niceties before the hard bargaining gets underway.

Yesterday, he said: "On the doorsteps I do meet people who have changed their minds over Brexit.

"But today is an important milestone, as I've said many times recently the hard work really starts now.

"I don't think things will be an easier after triggering Article 50, but it will be a step forward.

"There's an opportunity to start these discussions in a very positive way, to say 'we want to be your friends, not your enemies'."

Meanwhile James Carver, a Worcester-based UKIP MEP, says he is ready to become a "key guardian" of the negotiations.

Yesterday he insisted the party will have "six key tests" which will be used to closely monitor the Brexit process - covering laws, migration, maritime, trade, money and a 'time test'.

Mr Carver, UKIP’s Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs spokesman, said: "We feel we have been straining at the leash for the last nine months and are ready to show our teeth and bark loud.

"We must retake our seat on the World Trade Organisation, take full control of immigration and asylum polices, restore our fishing industry and re-establish our fishing waters.

"Having led the country to the momentous decision to free ourselves from the shackles of the European Union, we embrace the period of exit talks.

"We must also demand that Britain sweeps aside thousands of needless EU regulations after Brexit, which cost us more than £120 billion per year.

"The Common Agricultural Policy alone is said to cost £10 billion in direct costs and by inflating food prices."

Today at his Worcestershire office, which is based in Kidderminster, he will be hosting a party with UKIP activists.

Yesterday Mrs May said the UK is facing "one of the most significant moments" in its recent history.

Calling for a "new deep and special partnership" with the EU, she said: "I am determined we should also seize this historic opportunity to get out in to the world and to shape an even bigger role for a global Britain.

"This means not just building new alliances but going even further in working with old friends who have stood alongside us for centuries."

SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

ARTICLE 50 is a legal right, created as part of the Treaty of Lisbon, for any country that wishes to leave the EU.

By triggering it today the UK will have two years to negotiate before it is officially out the EU, on March 29, 2019.

On April 29 an EU summit will take place of all the nation's leaders, without the UK, to give the European Commission power to negotiate.

The hard work will then start from May onwards, with frantic talks back and forth covering areas like trade, migration, security, the European Arrest Warrant, laws, and so on.

The European Commission - the EU's version of the civil service - has created a task force headed by Michel Barnier, who will be in charge of conducting its negotiations with the UK.

This autumn the UK Government is expected to introduce a Great Repeal Bill, putting all existing EU laws into British law.

The aim is to complete negotiations by October 2018 before MPs and the European Parliament vote on any deal.

By March 29, 2019 the UK will be out the EU - negotiations could be extended, but it would need the approval of all the other 27 member states.

If no agreement is reached in two years and no extension is agreed, the UK automatically leaves the EU and all existing agreements - including access to the single market - would cease to apply.

In this case, it is assumed UK trade relations with the EU would be governed by World Trade Organisation rules.

* See today's Worcester News for three pages of special Brexit coverage.