The Prime Minister has set out her guiding principles for the UK Government's negotiations to leave the European Union.

In a lengthy speech at Lancaster House in London, Theresa May set out what she wants from the negotiations which are set to last almost two years.

Here is what she said:

The Prime Minister vowed to preserve the UK despite warnings of a second independence from Nicola Sturgeon.

May described the union between Scotland and the rest of the UK as "precious".

"It is only by coming together as one great union of nations and people that we can make the most of opportunities ahead," she said.

The single market is a trading agreement ensuring the free movement of goods, capital, service and people without having to pay taxes or tariffs.

It currently operates within the entire European Union as well as four non-EU states - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The first three countries have an associate membership status with the EU through the European Economic Area while Switzerland has independently negotiated its entry into it.

The Prime Minister used her speech to say she will not be seeking membership of the single market.

Instead May will pursue "a bold and ambitious free trade agreement" with the EU.

Being a member of the single market means the UK would have to accept the freedom of movement - unlimited immigration from the EU.

"We will get control of the number of people coming to Britain from the EU," she promised.

"Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe".

To many people leaving the EU is about handing sovereignty to the country's democratically elected lawmakers at Westminster.

After months of pressure from the politicians, the Prime Minister has confirmed when she returns from Brussels with the Brexit deal it will be for MPs and members of the House of Lords to approve it.

"I can confirm today that the government will put the final deal that is agreed between the UK and the EU to a vote in both Houses of Parliament, before it comes into force," she said.

The Prime Minister did not make clear, however, what would happen if one or both Houses rejected the deal.

The Prime Minister warned the EU's 27 leaders the UK will walk away from the organisation without a deal rather than agree a bad deal.

Offering the UK a "punitive deal" would be an "act of calamitous self-harm for the countries of Europe," argued May.

The Prime Minister said: "Britain would not - indeed we could not - accept such an approach"

"And while I am confident that this scenario need never arise - while I am sure a positive agreement can be reached - I am equally clear that no deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain."

If the UK exits from the EU without a deal then trade between both would be conducted under World Trade Organisation rules, meaning sizeable tariffs when trading.

The Prime Minister has pledged to start the leaving process before the end of March.

Judges at the Supreme Court are currently deliberating if May can trigger the legal mechanism to do so, article 50, without first seeking parliament's approval.

If she does need to consult MPs then she will almost certainly have a majority to begin leaving the EU.

Once triggered, the UK and the EU will have a maximum of two years to strike a deal.

The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier says he expects the deal to be done in October 2018.

This would give the EU's various institutions and the UK Houses of Parliament time to ratify the deal before the deadline of March 2019.

The deadline can only be extended if all 27 EU leaders permit it.