Welcome to F.T. Politics, a weekly podcast on British politics from the Financial Times.

I'm Sebastian Payne and in this week's episode we'll be discussing the triggering of Article 50

and the introduction of the Great Repeal Bill. I'm delighted to be joined by George

Parker, the F.T.'s political editor, James Blitz Whitehall editor,

political correspondent Kate Allen,

plus Henry Newman, director of the Open Europe Think Tank.

Thank you all for joining.

For a change, let's begin with Brexit,

and for once it really has been a big week.

On Wednesday at around midday,

Treasimay sent her farewell letter to the EU

triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

She addressed the House of Commons to kick off the two-year

countdown to leaving the EU at the same time. Aside for a few extra developments on

devolution, there was nothing hugely new in what the Prime Minister said, but

there was a slightly different tone.

Instead of the strident talk about making Britain the Singapore of Europe,

it was a different acknowledgement of the difficulties ahead

and all friendly talk of a new partnership with the EU.

So George Parker, when the Article 50 letter came was about six pages,

was it as you expected and do you agree with me there has been a slight shift in tone from the government? Yeah, I think there's been a slight shift in tone from the government.

Yeah I think there's been a definite shift in tone.

...