Today is one of the most significant in the recent history of our nation.

Earlier today, on my behalf, our ambassador to the European Union handed a letter to the President of the European Council, confirming that the British people have decided to leave the European Union. That process is now underway.

This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back. And I know that it is a day of celebration for some and disappointment for others. Not everyone shares the same view. Not everyone voted the same way. People on all sides have campaigned fervently and argued hard.

But now that the decision has been made, it is my responsibility to get the right deal for every single person in this country. For when all is said and done, however you voted, 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.

And those are the objectives of the Government’s Plan for Britain.

So we now begin the process of negotiating the new deep and special partnership we want to form with Europe, ambitious in our approach and confident in our ability to succeed. But more than that, we will also set about making the most of the opportunities ahead by pursuing our Plan for Britain and delivering the stronger, fairer Britain that we need.

So that in the years to come, when future generations look back at this time, they will judge us not only by the decision that we made, but by what we made of that decision. They will see that we shaped them a brighter future. They will know that we built them a better Britain.