And Grin And Bear It the sculpture of ronaldo thats got everyone talking but for all the wrong reasons. And in sport wenger keeps us waiting the arsenal manager, whos been under increasing pressure, wouldnt confirm whether hell stay at the club past the summer. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The government has been outlining how it plans to transfer thousands of pieces of European Union legislation, Into British Law. The great repeal bill will give parliament, or the devolved assemblies, the power to scrap, amend or improve eu laws. The brexit secretary, david davis, told mps it would ensure the uks smooth, orderly exit from the European Union. But the plans also involve giving ministers the power to make changes without full parliamentary scrutiny, and thats proving controversial. Our first report today is from our political correspondent, iain watson. The law that took us into the European Union was passed in 1972. Now, our eu membership is about to end. Not with a bang, but with a rather complicated process. The government now has 2a months to unravel a relationship which has lasted for 44 years. The Secretary Of State for exiting the European Union, david davis. Brexit Secretary Set out the first steps today with the promise of a great repeal bill. We have been clear that we want a smooth and orderly exit and the great repeal bill is integral tool integral to that approach. It will provide clarity for businesses and workers across the United Kingdom on the day we leave the eu. It will mean that as we exit the eu and seek a new and special partnership with the European Union, we will be doing so with the same standards and rules. If you were to look at the Dictionary Definition of repeal you would find that it needs to reverse or cancel something but the governments great repeal bill actually keeps actually seeks to keepin actually keeps actually seeks to keep in place existing eu legislation. Some say it would be more appropriate to call it a cut and paste bail. But the government argues that by keeping the same rules as the eu, it will be easier to negotiate a trade deal and of course the two governments would be free to change those roles in due course. Labour was concerned they would try to speed through their repeal bill at the expense of other issues. All rights and protections must be transferred into domestic law. No less occasions and sunset clauses. This mp wanted more detail about what laws might pass from brussels to edinburgh rather than westminster. He accused the government of a lack of preparation. It strikes me that the government has passed the Big Wet Button marked brexit with their fingers crossed and very little idea of what comes next. Historically, parliament havent had to change so many laws ina havent had to change so many laws in a relatively short time. The process could be painful and longer drawn out than intended. Apart from the repeal bill, major policy changes on immigration, Agriculture And Fisheries will entire will require entirely new legislation. Thats a lot to squeezing in two yea rs thats a lot to squeezing in two years so we thats a lot to squeezing in two years so we asked an experienced official how long he thought it would take. Well, until everything is absolutely separate and every t crossed and every eye dotted, it could be years. It could be a decade. But a lot of stuff will happen either upon brexit day or reasonably shortly after that. The government has promised us a smooth and orderly brexit but to achieve that, it may find it has little time for anything house. Lets pick up on some of those points with our assisted Political Editor norman smith who is in westminster. Today, the business begins in earnest. As we have been hearing, there is a lot to do. This is the first Big Plank Of Brexit which is being nailed down by the government. It is a legislative colossus, transferring all those many, many thousands of eu rules that we have acquired over the past a0 years, governing pretty much every note and cranny of our daily lives, from Employment Rights to Environmental Protection to the size ofa Environmental Protection to the size of a Chicken Hutch you can have if you want to read hands, transferring that Into British Law, a process which we have heard could take ten yea rs. Which we have heard could take ten years. It is the matters a massive legislative process but more than that, it is hugely symbolic, the moment that marked separation from the european lords, with british justice supreme. The supreme task will be pushing out anything out that the government wants to pursue though. That is the best risk. The second risk is that this provides an opportunity for critical mps to cause mrs may grief, because whilst the Prime Minister is away in brussels Arm Wrestling with eu ministers to try to get that deal, critical mps can use this huge legislation to try to cause her difficulties, because legislation can be delayed, it can be amended, it can be voted on. So for those mps who want to cause trouble, this is the perfect vehicle for causing trouble. On that note, norman, thank you very much indeed. Theresa may has already spoken to the leaders of ireland, poland, italy, france and spain, following the triggering of article 50. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said their response had been warm and constructive. European leaders are meeting in malta to formulate their first response, as danjohnson now reports. The impact of six pages, and delivered in brussels, still rippling across europe. Political leaders meeting in malta had absorbed britains political message and were ready to respond. Absorbed britains political message and were ready to respondlj absorbed britains political message and were ready to respond. I lot of people are telling us now they will try to reduce the damage but i have to tell you now this decision will create a lot of damage, but both sides. Germany is the powerhouse of the european project and Angela Merkels position is important. She already signalled that she did not agree with theresa mays position. Today there, no direct mention of brexit, instead speak on the Refugee Policy and calls to walk more closely together. The french president also said the uks ties with the eu need to be untangled first, then a new relationship can be built. There was musk sadness in the eu yesterday but the Council President , donald tusk, has seen some positives. There is also something positive in brexit. Brexit has made us a community of 27 more determined and united than before. I am fully confident of this, especially after their declaration andi especially after their declaration and i can say that we will remain determined and united also in the future. Theresa may has reached out through the european press, Writing Articles denying any rejection of oui articles denying any rejection of our shared values and giving assurances there was no intention to harm the eu. There are many more disagreements to come down the line as Britains Brexit clock keeps on ticking. Dan johnson, bbc as Britains Brexit clock keeps on ticking. Danjohnson, bbc news, brussels. Lets speak to our europe correspondent, chris morris, whos at that meeting in malta. In the shadow of brexit, whats your sense of the mood today . It was interesting, kate, the fact that Angela Merkel virtually didnt mention brexit. There was a subliminal message that its not all about you and we are moving on with the other issues which concern us. But clearly in the margins that has been an awful lot of talk about brexit. There is that mood of regret and sadness but we also hear from eve ryo ne and sadness but we also hear from everyone that we will be united on this. I know its an easy thing to say, but over the last five years of covering the eu, im not sure ive ever seen the other countries are united as they seem to be at the moment on brexit. Sure, the uk will try to chip away and pick off specific countries on specific issues but at the moment i think they do realise that in unity lies strength. The next step, and donald tusk, the president of the European Council is here, and we would expect why tomorrow, possibly late this evening, for him to release diet d raft evening, for him to release diet Draft Guidelines about the negotiations and should show us what the eu thinks negotiations will look like, in terms of a schedule and the pinks to be discussed first. We know london would like to Start Talking about Trade Straightaway but its pretty clear the rest of the eu is not interested in that. They want to have agreement in principle on the broad outlines of the divorce. That means settling the accounts, the status of eu citizens in the uk and british citizens elsewhere in the eu. 0nce british citizens elsewhere in the eu. Once the broad understanding of thoseissuesis eu. Once the broad understanding of those issues is down, only then will there be feature discussions about a trade agreement. So how will converting all these eu rules Into British Law impact on our lives, if at all . Currently, european law governs many areas, from Employment Law to food regulations, from the environment to health and safety. Wyre davies is here to explain how things might change. 0ne one of the big claims during the Referendum Campaign was that the uk will be able to make its own laws, free from brussels law. Sovereignty would return to parliament the uk would be taking back control. So now the great repeal Bill White Paper has been published, in which areas of our lives could we see changes . Lets ta ke a look at workers rights. At the moment, the eu says that most people dont have to work more than a8 hours a week, unless they want to. There are voices that say that restricts british industry, workforces are less flexible. So would the uk keep that law or change it . Could we see an effect on workers rights . Heres the tuc. Some businesses, some politicians, are calling for Employment Rights to be ripped up help watered down once we leave the European Union. But what they call red tape, we call important rights for working people including protection from excessive working hours, writes to holiday pay, protection from discrimination. The tuc is calling for the government to make a proper commitment and to take effective action to ensure these rights are protected, not simply from day one but for the long term. We also want guarantees from the government that uk Employment Rights will keep pace with our european partners. Lets look at another area. At the moment under eu law, vat on Household Gas and electricity bills is set at at least 5 . Outside of the eu, the government could now opt to remove it which could mean lower energy bills, although whether the chancellor would want to take the hit remains to be seen. And could we see a change in the shops on our high street . For instance, european regulations control everything from what preservatives can be added to how potential allergens have to be displayed on the packaging. Getting rid of them, say some, is good because it gets rid of red tape, so decreasing costs for businesses. But actually the uk may decide to keep many of the regulations because if we want to trade with europe, well need to have the same standards. Theresa may yesterday acknowledged in her letter that in many areas, both sides have Regulatory Frameworks and standards that already match. So what could be the impact on Small Businesses . There are all sorts of regulations which affect all kinds of businesses in different ways, everything from disposing of waste to the kind of chemicals that can be in paint to Employment Rules for their employees. Now, Small Businesses might want things to be simplified in future might want things to be simplified infuture in might want things to be simplified in future in terms of how to comply with these things and anything unnecessary got rid of, but at the same time, there is a recognition that there are many regulations which do have a purpose. Itsjust that there may be a simpler way of getting there for Small Businesses to comply with. There are so many areas in which eu laws effect our lives and today its only the first stage of many. Given the scale of the legislative task ahead, none of the changes to anything come into force until we leave the eu, probably in march 2019. We went to see the impact for a long time. The worlds biggest insurance firm, Lloyds Of London, says its moving some of its operations to brussels. It says it wants a presence in the heart of Continental Europe after britain leaves the eu. The question is, will other Companies Follow . Heres simon gompertz. Its the worlds oldest insurance market, famous for the lutine bell from hms lutine, which went down two centuries ago and was covered at lloyds. It already has some foreign offices but because of brexit, Lloyds Of London will now become lloyds of brussels as well. Nothing to worry about. In fact, what it does is it helps to secure the future of lloyds. About 5 of our business is impacted by the uk coming out of eu. We want to be able to provide continuous coverage and continue to issue Insurance Policies for customers based in eu. The lloyds building houses a marketplace. Its some of the staff who oversee the operations who are going and its not clear how many of the underwriters themselves will need to move. Its good. Its good for lloyds to be seen to be embracing it. Itll be interesting to see how it goes and how they can maintain it in london being the centre of insurance. Fingers crossed they will. Does it signal an exodus from the city . No. Not in the least bit. London has been incredibly successful for all sorts of reasons and we will remain so. What weve got to be is nimble and alert to the possibilities and the dangers. What this shows is the variety of places across the channel that City Organisations might move some of their operations to. So notjust one big rival to the city, like say frankfurt, but also amsterdam, brussels, dublin, or paris. And it may not even be european centres that benefit most from business leaving london. There are other hubs elsewhere in the world, singapore springs to mind, a couple in the middle east and of course bermuda, which will be hungry to use brexit as an opportunity to grab as much of the Worldwide Business as they can. But is this trickle from the City Of London the start of a flood . The Prime Minister tried to allay fears yesterday by saying she wants to include Financial Services in an overall trade deal with the eu. Simon gompertz, bbc news. Our top story this lunchtime. The government has been outlining how it plans to transfer thousands of pieces of european legislation into uk law. And still to come but was it art . A mixed response to a bust of the portuguese footballer, ronaldo. And in sport Johanna Konta continues to show her title winning potential and becomes the first british woman to reach the semi finals of the miami 0pen, where shell face venus williams. More now on our main story. The process of leaving the European Union is well and truly under way, with the publication today of whats known as the great repeal bill. But what about our future relations with countries whove been eu partners for the past four decades . The uk and germany have long been allies, politically and economically. 0ur Berlin Correspondentjenny Hill has been to the town of bergen which was once home to a British Army Base to see what german people make of the start of the brexit process. Germany has developed quite a taste for all things british. Ooh 0oh bergens uk army base is long gone, but theyre still serving the full english and preparing again to bid the brits farewell. Translation to be honest, really, why do they want to go it alone . Britains influence is fading. Army housing, due for demolition, and a future relationship that is, as yet, undefined. Of all the eu member states, germany was probably the most saddened and shocked at britains decision to leave. Its also the most likely to want to retain a strong relationship with the uk, but not at any cost. What germany fears most, instability. Britain is one of its most important trading partners. It can also be positive, if it becomes a wake up cal