The president is spoiling for a fight with the conservative republicans who blocked Healthcare Reform. Day 70 of the trump administration. Day one of britains two year countdown to brexit. European leaders have been setting out boundaries for the beginning of the talks. In paris, the french and german president s put on a united front, insisting the terms of the uks withdrawal including a bill for outstanding debts britain will pay when it leaves will need to be agreed first before there is any talk of a future relationship. The European Council president , donald tusk who will steer the negotiations believes brexit will make the eu stronger. He said the remaining 27 countries must fight the populism which has taken root across the continent. We must say, loud and clear, that nationalisms and separatisms which try to weaken the eu are the opposite of modern patriotism. Those who take aim at european unity, threaten also their own communities, weakening their own states sovereignty. Words such as security, sovereignty, dignity and pride must return to our political dictionary. Settling the exit bill estimated by the European Commission to be 60 Billion Euros 64 billion will be the first big hurdle when the talks get under way in mid to late may. The british Prime Minister said last night the uk would honour its commitments, but the British Government disputes the figure being presented. So where does all this leave the uk . Lets speak to yo anne pascu, he is Vice President of the European Parliament who joins us now from brussels. Thank you very much forjoining us on the programme. Youre welcome. Negotiations, we are one day in, there is disagreement on even the basics, on the numbers . In a way we are havele launched ourselves, both of us, britain and ourselves on an adventure. We do not know what is in front of us. And how many obstacles well have to overcome. In a way, we have to adjust our pace and find the right way to start the negotiations in earnest and find solutions to the problems which confront us both. |j mean, are you heartened things are off toa mean, are you heartened things are off to a good start, though . Sorry . Do you have faith that things are off toa do you have faith that things are off to a good start . Well, i think, you know, we have to do that. Nobody has done it before and we are confronted with a situation we never envisaged and we have to adjust to it. We have to really find a solution to come to a compromise. If we manage to do that, in the two years in front. Us, it will be ok. If we dont, then, you know, we have a new situation which we will also have to confront. I hope, in the end, after this initial adjustment period, we will get on the way with our negotiations. Can i take you back to what the french and german leaders are saying today, there must be an agreement on the Divorce Settlement before they discuss the shape of the future relationship, would you go along with that . Well, i would say, you know, in the good order of things, you cannot Start Building something until you clear the field before. In a way, this makes sense. Its logical. Im a romanian from transylvania and i have a german education, if i could say so, to me it makes sense that we have, first, to clear the field and then to Start Building the new house. Yes. The europeans are taking a hardline on this. A former conservative leader, michael howard, said to me yesterday i should read article 50 of the treaty. I did that today. I will read you a part of it. When a state withdraws the union should negotiation and conclude an agreement with that State Setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal while taking account for the framework of its future relationship its there in black and white. The two must be done hand in hand . Its a matter of interpretation. Its not. Its there in black and white. Interpretation. Its not. Its there in blackandwhite. Well, anything isa in blackandwhite. Well, anything is a matter of interpretation. In politics, this is the situation. The Constructive Ambiguitiy which is practiced especially by britain, you know, with so much success until now, permits everyone to look at the thing and interpret and understand what he wants. This is the beauty of it. Everyone understands from the same phrase what he wants to understand. Here you know we will have to make room, you know, for political interpretations because everything is political. It should not be applied as such 100 . We should expect ourselves, you will do the same in other fields, and this is, you know, the beginning of the game. Its political. Plenty of to and fro to come. We are very grateful for your time. To and fro to come. We are very gratefulfor your time. Thank to and fro to come. We are very grateful for your time. Thank you very much. Thank you. Meanwhile, in the british parliament, The Business Of Separation was already under way. The government has published a first draft of the great repeal bill, which will end the supremacy of european law over the United Kingdom. Labours keir starmer, who will lead parliamentary scrutiny of theresa mays negotiation, said the job of the opposition had entered a new phase. While the brexit secretary, david davis britains Chief Negotiator said he wanted a clean break. Were being clear that we want a smooth and orderly exit and the great repeal bill is integral to that approach. It will provide clarity and certainty for businesses, workers and consumers across the United Kingdom on the day we leave the eu. All rights and protections derived from eu law must be converted into domestic law. All rights and protections no limitations, no qualifications and no sunset clauses. Our political correspondent, rob watson, is in westminster. Good to see you. You too. We know why its called the great repeal bill it will get rid of the european act. Really, the title is the biggest misnomer known to man. It will not repeal very much, is it . All those rulings and regulations will be shifted on to the uk statute book . You are stealing my best lines. Its an oddly named bill. The first thing to say, anyone who finds other parliaments Ways And Means and legislators baffling look away now. To get to it, its a bill that does something in three parts. Number one the repeal bit. That does apply, getting rid of the idea that britain does whatever europe says. The second bit, absolutely, the biggest cut and paste in history. Basically, what this bill will do is say we will not follow european law. Guess what, all that stuff, all those rules and regulations. Its thought there are Tens Of Thousands accumulated over 40 years, we will transfer them over into uk law. Why . Because when britain leaves the European Union in two years time the idea is that there shouldnt be a legal black hole. It does one other thing as well, which is not all of these laws or Tens Of Thousands of regulations will be applicable. The government is saying we will go through them all and get rid of some of them. Plenty of good lines there. Thank you very much for the moment. A lot going on then, michelle, on the fist day. We had news today about a bank that was moving to europe, lloyds of london. They are moving a subsidiary, 100 jobs. Jp morgan, goldman sachs, is it something we should be concerned about or is this Brass Plating where they are trying to get an address and foothold in europe so that they are part of the European Union . Well, look, ithink are part of the European Union . Well, look, i think its like any business, they are looking at the laws of the land. In some cases, they will be required to have a presence, as you say, Brass Plating, in europe if they want to continue funding, doing, performing certain operations. That being said, there isa operations. That being said, there is a huge part of the financial market, a huge part of certain of their activities in which london remains the centre. So while there isa remains the centre. So while there is a lot of concern, Teeth Gnashing about what it will do as london as a Financial Centre it will remain important to the financial world. Lets turn to news here in washington. There are now a series of congressional hearings and investigations that are looking into the russias inteference in the president ial election. The House Intelligence Committee held its first public hearing two weeks ago. At that session the fbi director, james comey, confirmed the fbi is leading its own investigation into alleged links between russia and the Trump Campaign. Today, the senate Intelligence Committee invited in cameras for the first of their open hearings. Among 20 people summoned to give evidence will be the former National Security adviser, mike flynn, who was forced to resign last month, and the president s son in law and close advisor, jared kushner. The stakes are high for Senate Investigation given the disarray we have witnessed in the house investigation. The infighting between republicans and democrats brought that inquiry to a standstill this week. By contrast, the Senate Committee appears an example of bi partisan bonhomies. The ranking democrat, mark warner, and the republican chair, richard burr, stand side by side promising a thorough investigation. We will always say to you, this Investigation Scope will go wherever the intelligence leads it. Russias goal, Vladimir Putins goal, is a weaker United States weaker economically, weaker globally, and that should be a concern to all americans regardless of party affiliation. Just before todays Committee Hearing started, russian president Vladimir Putin dismissed the Us Intelligence communitys claims. Translation did the russian government attempt to influence the result of the us election . Translation at one time reagan debating, i think about taxes and addressing the americans said read my lips no well, one man who has already given evidence, earlier today in fact, is former fbi special agent clint watts, who is now a fellow at the Foreign PolicyResearch Institute. We heard putin there, basically, saying, no russia was not involved. What did you make of that . Islj dont know why we would believe him. He is not honest to his own people in his own country. I surely wouldnt believe him in this context. For three years, two colleagues and i have watched russian influence online. Its a deliberate strategy over those three years. Its not covert. What tends to be pushed around in the media is that its a hidden hand. The hacking we hear with about now of peoples accounts was hidden and come to light due to investigations the influence is not. You can go to state sponsored russian outlet, do analysis and see how they want to manipulate it. You talk about the influence of russia, their tactics. Are you concerned we could see the tactics employed in up coming european elections . Its already happening. They are focussed on the german and french elections. They will steer their candidates towards the per ferd outcome they would like. I know that you dashed straight to us from this intel Committee Hearing, so we should play a bit of that. Its interesting what you had to say. Lets just show our viewers. Part of the reason active measures works, and it does today in terms of trump tower being wired tap is because they parrot the same lines. So putin is correct, he can say that hes not influencing anything because hesjust putting out his stance, but until we get a firm basis on fact and fiction in our own country, get some agreement about the facts, whether it be do i support the Intelligence Community or a story i read on my twitter feed, were going to have a big problem. I can tell you, right now today, grey outlets, that are soviet pushing accounts, tweet at President Trump during high volumes, when they know hes online, and they push conspiracy theories. So if hes to click on one of those or cite one of those, itjust proves putin correct. Are you saying that some of this is entirely legal. What they are doing is pumping out misinformation to republican supporters, to Trump Campaigners who hover it up and recite it or recycle it as fact . Yes. The overt propaganda that anyone can look on the internet is the Standard Party line in russia. Where it gets a little bit weird though is in social media. Their use of automated bots, fake accounts that look like people, they are pushing a message on their behalf and theiruse of pushing a message on their behalf and their use of covert accounts used for hacking, both in terms of Social Engineering to get into peoples accounts and to influence their opinions. That is where its a little bit more covert and a lot less overt. During your evidence or the information you gave to the Senate Hearing today you talked about yourself being targeted . Sure. I received notification two weeks after i wrote about this, november 2015, the fbi visited the Foreign PolicyResearch Institute let them know id been targeted with a cyber attack. They dont tell you who targeted it came two weeks after i talked about fake social media accounts being controlled by russia. We have been talking a lot about, you gave testimony in the senate and what is going on in the house, are you confident we can find out what has been going on here and whether there has been involvement on the side of the trump camp . In terms of the Information Warfare going on i cant speak to the Trump Campaign members. What i dont understand is why stone would say hes in contact with one of the hackers or why he would know about wikileaks. I dont know why they would cite a Fake Russian Prop Gang Da Story after it had been debunked or why President Trump would get those lines fed to him. What is the connection between humans and this online information campaign. Thank you very much. Its hard to believe this time last week we were talking about President Trumps Health Care Plan and its chance of becoming law. How quickly things unravelled. However much he tried, hejust couldnt get the Freedom Caucus the conservative members of his own party to sign up to it. At the time he blamed the democrats, but today we got a sense of the real story. The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire republican agenda if they dont get on the team, fast. We must fight them, dems, in 2018 0ur north america editor, jon sopel, is watching developments and joins us now. Trump is going to battle with members of the party he is meant to be working with . Never let it be said that donald trump is afraid to pick a fight. He goes after the democratic party, you might expect it and the freedom can you suss, 30 plus Republican Tea Party house members who sunk his health care bill. Donald trump has been talking about how it could be resurrected. You think why are you going after your Tea Party Members if you are trying to get them on board. Maybe what his real strategy is to prize enough democrats away so they will backed a revise Healthcare Reform bill. Paul ryan is the speaker of the house. He was asked about it. He gaveit the house. He was asked about it. He gave it the same enthusiastic response as you would having root canal treatment. But if this Republican Congress allows the perfect to be the enemy of the good, i worry well push the president into working with democrats. Hes been suggesting that as much. I mean, have you reached out to the democrats yet to work on this bill pelosi . No, im trying to get this bill passed. Nancy and i see things very, very differently. Then you guys are not on the same page. The president of the United States saying hes going to work on democrats on this. You dont want yeah, i know hes been saying that, and i dont want that to happen. You know why . Because i want a Patient Centred system, i dont want government running healthcare. Where is this new majority going to come from that donald trump is talking about . Also, what kind of concessions is he going to have to make to winsome of these democrats, especially when be you are talking about healthcare especially when be you are talking about healthca re and, especially when be you are talking about healthcare and, further down the line, budget talks, tax reform . Well, you name it. The problems are piling up. We have already he