Time to come together, May says

● Two years of negotiations to be triggered by Brexit letter ● PM says people no longer defined by their referendum vote

tiations “in a constructive and positive spirit”, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

The contents of the letter, which is expected to set out as-yet unseen detail about the government’s objectives for Brexit talks, is commercially sensitive and will only be published online once she has finished her statement.

After Prime Minister’s Questions today, Mrs May will tell MPS that she is going into the upcoming negotiations to “represent every person in the whole United Kingdom – young and old, rich and poor, city, town, country and all the villages and hamlets in between. And yes, those EU nationals who have made this country their home.

“It is my fierce determination to get the right deal for every single person in this country,” she is expected to say.

“For, as we face the opportunities ahead of us on this momentous journey, our shared values, interests and ambitions can – and must – bring us together.

“We all want to see a Britain that is stronger than it is today. We all want a country that is fairer so that everyone has the chance to succeed.

“We all want a nation that is safe and secure for our children and grandchildren. We all want to live in a truly global Britain that gets out and builds relationships with old friends and new allies around the world.

The Prime Minister will add: “These are the ambitions of this government’s plan for Britain. Ambitions that unite us, so that we are no longer defined by the vote we cast, but by our determination to make a success of the result.

“We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together.”

Negotiations are not expected to begin in earnest until after German elections in September. However, Mr Tusk has said an initial formal response to the Prime Minister’s letter will be ready within 48 hours.

EU leaders will then meet at a summit on 29 April to discuss their approach to negotiations.

Yesterday Michel Barnier, the man appointed by the European Commission to lead negotiations for the EU, underlined his priority of securing the rights of EU nationals living in the UK.

He met campaigners representing three million EU citizens, and tweeted: “Brexit made EU citizens worry about their future in EU27 and UK. EU will be firm on their rights”.

However, it is understood that Mr Barnier will insist on the conclusion of a “divorce” settlement of up to £50 billion before anything else is discussed.

Brexit Secretary David Davis reiterated the government’s refusal to accept a bill approaching that figure. “I don’t think we are going to be seeing that sort of money change hands,” he said.

Jeremy Corbyn said pressure was on Mrs May to return from Brussels with a Brexit deal that preserves current EU social protections.

“The Conservatives want to use Brexit to turn our country into a low-wage tax haven,” the Labour leader said. “Labour is

0 Theresa May signs the letter that will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start the two-year