Hemel MP says triggering Article 50 is 'great moment for country'

Mike Penning welcomed the historic moment where the UK formally registered its intention to leave the European Union

A six page letter from Theresa May was delivered to EU Council president Donald Tusk earlier today, formally starting the window to leave the Union.

And the news was welcomed by Mr Penning, a longtime eurosceptic who has been campaigning to leave the EU for 20 years.

Mr Penning said: “This is a great moment for our country. We are taking back control of our laws, borders and trade negotiations.

"There will be significant opportunities for us worldwide as a result and we will be free at last from a burdensome, costly and unnecessary bureaucracy.

“I have been campaigning to leave the EU for over 20 years and I am looking forward to the start of negotiations. The sooner the better.

“Having said that, I do want to reassure everyone that we are looking for an amicable agreement that will be fair to both sides. We will still be very much a part of Europe and we want to ensure excellent relations with our neighbours in the future.

"We have strong ties with Europe and I want EU citizens living here to feel welcome and for British citizens living in the rest of Europe to feel the same. There is no reason why all of this is not achievable.”