Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
U.K. Lawmakers Wrestle Control From Theresa May Less Than Three Weeks Before The Deadline To Leave The European Union; Israel Launches Retaliatory Strikes Against Hamas Targets In Gaza; , U.S. Democrats Call For The Full Release Of The Mueller Report. Aired: 8-9a ET
Aired March 26, 2019 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY CORBYN, LEADER, LABOUR PARTY: The government's approach to Brexit has now become a national embarrassment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This terribly disappoints me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA CHATTERLEY, ANCHOR, CNN (voice over): Brexit takeover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BERCOW, SPEAKER, BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS: The 'ayes' have it. The 'ayes' have it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY (voice over): U.K. lawmakers wrestle control from Theresa May less than three weeks before the deadline to leave the European Union.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, NEWS STREAM (voice over): High alert. Israel launches retaliatory strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It appears that the cease-fire that Hamas announced has fallen apart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): And a critical juncture, U.S. democrats call for the full release of the Mueller report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: There is no good reason not to make the report public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urges her Party to move past Russian interference.
LU STOUT (on camera): Welcome to "News Stream." I'm Kristi Lu Stout in Hong Kong.
CHATTERLEY: And I'm Julia Chatterley outside the British Houses of Parliament in London and we start here in Westminster where late on Monday,
lawmakers took control of the Brexit debate away from the British Prime Minister, Theresa May. They passed a motion to test support for
alternatives to her Brexit policy through a series of votes in the House.
The Prime Minister who opposed the motion, saw 30 members of her Party vote against her, including three ministers who resigned from her government.
This Wednesday, lawmakers vote on as many as seven different options they are likely to include a new referendum on Brexit following the massive
rallies we saw here in London over the weekend, leaving the E.U. without a deal, this would actually happen by default in a few weeks if lawmakers
can't agree on anything else.
Other possibilities include what's called a Norway style deal with the E.U. full access for the U.K. to the single market and the European free tree
area. No one is mincing their words about the state of Brexit no matter where they stand on it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I express my frustration with our collective failure to take a decision, but I know that -- but I know that
many members across this House are frustrated, too.
CORBYN: The government's approach to Brexit has now become a national embarrassment. Every step of the way along this process, the government
has refused to reach out, refused to listen and refused to find a consensus that can represent the views of the whole country, not just the
Conservative Party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Frustration feels like classic British understatement at this stage. We start with Nic Robertson who is in Downing Street for us. Nic,
let's call it temporary control, at least as far as Parliament is concerned. What can they come up with here in terms of trying to find a
majority on some way forward here, particularly in light of Theresa May's comments saying she might not follow through on what they vote for anyway.
NIC ROBERTSON, INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR, CNN: Well, that's the point, isn't it? There is sort of temporary control over the order of
business of the day, but not temporary control over what happens the following day and the ability to say, we have dictated the order of
business. We've had a show of hands, whether it's all that way from a no deal to leaving without a deal, to reversing Article 50, all of that, the
Prime Minister as you say, has been very, very clear, if it is not consistent with the Conservative Party manifesto then that's not something
the government can support, it's not something that can go forward. The European Union isn't going to deal with a bunch of rebel MPs, it's going to
deal with the government.
So it's limited control of the orders of business on Wednesday, but not really what happens next. And there's always the possibility, as well,
these indicative votes become indicative of the fact that there are huge splits, but where it may be useful to the Prime Minister and where I think
we had perhaps a hint of that earlier today by a statement by Jacob Rees- Mogg one of the leading lights within the Europe Research Group, not a homogenous group, we should say that. Not everyone walks in the same
direction and sings from the same hymn sheet, but what he is saying is that it seems clear to him that it is either going on be Theresa May's deal or
potentially no Brexit at all indicating that he may swing his vote behind her now after opposing it the last two meaningful votes.
And this is, perhaps, what the Prime Minister wants to hear, that these meaningful votes that will come up with show those hard aligned Brexiteers
that actually, it is important to come on board and support it now or lose even the lesser limits of what they're hoping to achieve.
CHATTERLEY: But then it comes down to numbers, Nic. And even if she gets all the arch Brexiteers on board, she still doesn't necessarily have the
DUP, the Party that backs her government ...
[08:05:10]
CHATTERLEY: ... in order to get the vote she requires here.
ROBERTSON: She doesn't and they've made that very clear. Sammy Wilson, the spokesman for the 10 MPs that they have here who are part of that
confidence and supply agreement with the Conservative Party inside Westminster has made it very clear.
The ERG may compromise on issues that are important to the Party unity, and important overall to the Party, but the Democratic Unionist have a much
different agenda and that is seeing making sure that Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom does not become in their eyes a lesser part of
it and for that, it would mean a back stop, ultimately, deal about relating to the border between Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland that would
actually, in effect in their eyes put a customs border down the Irish Sea, between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain and that's not something
they're prepared to compromise on, but it might be something that Theresa May's Conservative Party will compromise on.
Indeed, I was talking to people in the sort of heartland of DUP support in the town of Lisbon and Northern Ireland Last week, and this is precisely
what they were saying, the Conservative Party might tell sell them down the river. So can Theresa May get enough votes from across the aisle to
compensate for those she won't get from the DUP and what are the implications if the DUP doesn't support her? Will they pull some hard line
Brexiteers in their direction as well? Undoubtedly, I think they will be strong and vociferous if this is a position they intend to maintain, which
I think it likely is.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, everyone holding the line. Nic Robertson, thank you so much for that. All right, I am joined by Henry Newman, he is Director of
Open Europe and a former adviser to Michael Gove. He part of the vote to leave campaign, though now supports Theresa May's withdrawal agreement.
Great to have you here. What does allowing Parliament here to hold votes just to see what kind of majority we can get in Parliament as a path
forward achieve here in light of what Theresa May said yesterday that she may not listen?
HENRY NEWMAN, DIRECTOR, OPEN EUROPE: We do not know because ultimately we've seen a huge amount of chaos here in the political debate in the U.K.
I'm not sure that putting Parliament in charge is going to make any of this chaos better. In fact, it's more likely to make it worse because in the
three years that we've been discussing Brexit here on the endless groundhog day of rerunning the same discussions about should we or should we not
leave and what should we do if we do leave, there is no particular conclusion in any direction.
The country was divided and still is divided. A second referendum wouldn't solve the divisions. It wouldn't get rid of those divisions and neither
would a no deal Brexit. The only deal that's actually been agreed to the E.U. is the Prime Minister's deal.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, that is the risk here is that Parliament comes together and finds the majority for something that is simply not feasible
when you're trying to agree with Europe here.
NEWMAN: Right. And anyway, even if Parliament, let's say agreed to go for a Norway option, a sort of closed relationship with the E.U., that great.
We can try and negotiate that once we've left because the E.U. have said all the way through, you negotiate your divorce through the Article 50
process and then afterwards, you can start talking about the future.
And the current deal, the treaty, the binding treaty sets out the divorce, alongside that and on top of it, is a political declaration, a sort of
ladies and gentlemen's agreement with what we could try to negotiate in the future, but that already lays open the path to all kinds of different
options including Norway and including more distant relationships. So all of this has an air of unreality about it.
CHATTERLEY: But we have a sequencing problem here, as you say, we're still trying to agree a divorce deal and everyone else and Parliament this week
is going to vote on the future relationship and we're simply not there yet.
NEWMAN: Right, exactly.
CHATTERLEY: And that's the problem. What is the risk here that actually Parliament decides on a deal here that contravenes the Conservative Party
manifesto because they've also said, look, if that's the case, then perhaps we have to go to fresh elections. Is that what ultimately we're looking at
here?
NEWMAN: Well, I think elections have been very likely ever since back in 2017, Theresa May called that snap general election and lost her majority.
So she's relied on the Democrats and Unionists, Northern Irish Unionist Party to hold the balance of power and she suffered defections already.
She already had a slim working majority with the DUP. That is now even narrower. So I think we're in a very, very risky political territory and a
general election is likely that wouldn't necessarily serve either the two main parties well because both Labour and the Tories went into the last
election saying we will deliver Brexit.
They spent two years now, arguing about Brexit and most of public, whatever their view, think, sorry, we pay you MPs taxpayers' money to make decisions
and you're just arguing.
CHATTERLEY: Probability that actually the government falls then this week?
NEWMAN: I don't think it's that likely that the government will fall this week. I still think the most likely thing is actually a version of her
deal passing, right? Because ultimately, we're not changing the treaty itself. We're just talking about putting a nice bow on it calling, it
common market 2.0 or calling it a Customs Union we negotiate in the future. It's still the same treaty underneath and there is even chance that her
original deal passes.
[08:10:01]
NEWMAN: We saw Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Eurosceptic -- the leader of the Eurosceptic bloc on the back benchers, he has basically indicated today
that he could well back the deal.
CHATTERLEY: And we've got a picture actually of his tweet, we can show that. I mean, this was a huge moment, a pivotal moment.
NEWMAN: This is a big moment, and he's been careful so far to never rule out backing the deal and said all the way through that if he felt the
options were narrowing, he could move his support for the deal. Is he the first domino that needs to fall and once that domino falls, perhaps, Boris
Johnson who as the kind of public figure head of the leave campaign also backs the deal, and then you'd have the vote leave team back together
again.
Michael Gove who co-chaired the leave campaign is obviously in government supporting the deal, Gisela Stuart was the Labour MP at the time who co-
chaired the campaign, she has backed the deal on Sunday. If Boris Johnson who is the public face of the campaign also back the deals, then I think
you could make a very strong argument, this was what the vote leave campaign had campaigned for and thus, endorsing this position and that
would make it much easier to get MPs on the Eurosceptic side who so far, withheld their support from the Prime Minister to swing behind it. But
it's all in the balance.
CHATTERLEY: Something tells me it's going to be a lively week. Thank you so much for joining us on the show. Watch this phase. Kristie, as you
heard there, it is going to be complicated. "First Move," of course, those votes tomorrow night in Parliament to see what majority there is for a path
forward here even actually it doesn't matter in the short term. Kristie, I'll hand back to you.
LU STOUT: Very complicated stuff. Yes, and the political risk, so high. Very complicated. Lively week ahead. Julia, thank you so much. Chinese
President Xi Jinping, he met with French, German and E.U. leaders for talks in Paris saying that China and Europe are quote, "advancing together," but
adding that the two need to overcome suspicions.
On Monday, President Xi signed a raft of number of deals with France. They include a huge order with the European plane maker, Airbus to buy nearly
300 passenger jets. Jim Bittermann joins me now from Paris with more. And Jim, this Airbus deal is a big one. It is said to be worth tens of
billions of dollars, so big a blow is this for Boeing?
JIM BITTERMANN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, it's absolutely a big deal, 30 billion euros is what the French are saying in
terms of what the price tag on those 300 Airbus aircraft will be. And yes, it's a blow for Boeing because Boeing, I think, is suffering a little bit
from the trade tensions between the United States and China at the moment.
In all, Xi while he was here sign letters of intent and contracts worth the French are saying about 40 billion euros. So a very big deal for France.
But to give you an idea of the global picture here, Kristie, Chinese investments, according to the "Financial Press" here this morning, are off
by 90% with the United States, off by 80% with Great Britain because of Brexit, but up by 86% with France.
So China is definitely refocusing along the line of what they call the Silk Road, the New Silk Road based on the ancient Silk Road, which is the
trading route which stretched during Roman times between China and the west developing a new Silk Road they say that will lead to investments along the
way, along the course of that Silk Road of over a trillion euros -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, and China's Xi Jinping had a very receptive audience in Italy when he talked about the new Silk Road there, but now he's in Paris
meeting with Emmanuel Macron as well as Angela Merkel and E.U. leaders. Will he get the same reception there? You know, does China's weight carry
there or is there still a lot of suspicion?
BITTERMANN: Well, I think already this morning, we've seen he did get the kind of reception that he got in Italy. Yes, in Italy by the way, there
was a signature on deals worth 20 billion euros. Here you can tell by the fact that Angela Merkel flew over to Paris expressly to meet him along with
Jean-Claude Juncker from the European Union, and basically, what they talked about this morning, not so much trade deals, but they talked about
the need for China to deal with Europe as a unified entity and not country by country and kind of trying to get past the Chinese suspicion of
multilateralism, and I think that's what the effort was all about this morning.
But also to show that the real key players in Europe, the European Union with Jean-Claude Juncker and Merkel and Macron who were both at the press
conference -- all three at the press conference this morning -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, key power players there in Paris. China's influence in Europe is indeed growing. Jim Bittermann, thank you.
Now, Israelis near the border with Gaza are being told to stay near bomb shelters as Defense Forces retaliate for a rocket hitting a home north of
Tel Aviv. The violence that is breaking out despite that reported cease- fire, just ahead. And President Donald Trump is weaponizing results of the Mueller investigation. We'll tell you about the payback he's promise for
those who have criticized his ties to Russia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:15:10]
LU STOUT: People in Israel close to the border with Gaza are on high alert and residents are being told to stay near bomb shelters. On Monday, a
rocket launched from Gaza hit a house north of Tel Aviv wounding seven people. Israel responded swiftly with bombing raids on Hamas targets
including the office of the group's leader.
Now, CNN's Phil Black is live for us along the Israel-Gaza border. And Phil, violence has resumed despite that reported cease-fire. What is the
state of play at this moment?
PHIL BLACK, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Kristie, through the daylight hours, it has been quiet. But you're right, there was talk of a
cease-fire late last night. Hamas said that a cease-fire had been restored. It seems that that claim was premature because both sides kept
firing through the night for some hours after that.
The key question now, as we enter this lull, is will there be more firing and if so, from what side? In the usual site of these rockets from Gaza
followed by Israeli retaliations, this would normally be the point that Israel considers the achievements of its operations overnight and
determines if more is to be made and watches to see what Hamas or militants in the Gaza side do next as well.
Israel was clearly trying to make a very significant point on this occasion. It always wants to be seen as the punisher, the defender of the
Israeli people. On this occasion, there was a very clear effort to hit the most significant targets possible. A senior Israeli government source has
told CNN that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself rejected the initial list of targets put forward by the Israeli Defense Force and he
said he wanted more substantial target and approved each of them.
And so, that is where we ended up, seeing the IDF target buildings associated with Hamas military, internal security and intelligence as well
and as you touched on there, also the office of the political leader of Hamas. It was all designed to send a message that this was a response as I
said, greater than the usual rounds of escalation that you see fairly regularly here between Gaza and Israel.
Because there is a political context to all of this, there is an Israeli election just weeks away. It is a closely fought campaign. Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu is literally fighting to stay in government and on top of that, he is aware over the last 24 hours since this escalation really
started, he has been criticized across much of the political spectrum for allowing all of this to happen.
To paraphrase his many critics, they essentially say that Hamas was able to create this situation because his critics say Netanyahu has been too soft
on the militant organization in the recent past -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, and that political contest is key to understanding what is going on and what could happen next. Phil Black monitoring activity for us
there at the Israel-Gaza border. Thank you.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expecting to rev up his claim of complete vindication in the Mueller probe when he meets with GOP lawmakers necessary
in a few hours. A summary of the investigation showed no conclusive evidence of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.
[08:20:06]
LU STOUT: Democrats are pushing hard for the Special Counsel's full report to be released, but as Jessica Schneider reports, Mr. Trump is apparently
planning to use those findings to get revenge for what he sees as two years of unnecessary scrutiny.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things, I
would say treasonous things against our country. Those people will certainly be looked at.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, CNN (voice-over): President Trump and his allies on the offensive after being cleared of conspiracy
with Russia by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. With half a dozen aides and advisers telling CNN, the President plans to use the results to attack his
perceived political enemies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We can never let this happen to another President again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): The top Republicans in the House and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway calling for the resignation of the head of the
House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO DONALD TRUMP: He's been on every TV show 50 times a day for practically the last two years, promising Americans that
this President would either be impeached or indicted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But Kellyanne, he's a politician. That's what --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): But Schiff pledging to continue his investigation into the President's conduct and dismissing criticism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I am more than used to attacks by my GOP colleagues, and I would expect nothing less.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham vowing to investigate allegations of anti-Trump bias at the Justice Department and
the FBI, and calling for a new Special Counsel probe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC), CHAIRMAN, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: By any reasonable standard, Mr. Mueller thoroughly investigated the Trump
campaign. You cannot say that about the other side of the story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): The president's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, criticizing Mueller for declining to exonerate the President on obstruction of justice,
despite not charging him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, LAWYER FOR DONALD TRUMP: This is a cheap shot. He is exonerated in the next two paragraphs. The next two paragraphs say not
sufficient evidence ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
GIULIANI: ... and no obstructive conduct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): Meanwhile, six House Democratic Committee Chairmen demanding Barr release the full Mueller report and underlying evidence and
documents by next Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: There is no good reason not to make the report public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): President Trump insisting he is not opposed to the report being publicly released.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: That's up to the attorney general, but it wouldn't bother me at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER (voice over): But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocking a second effort from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to put it to a
vote in the Senate. The bill passed unanimously in the House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sidestepping questions about Mueller's report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to say that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, in light of the Mueller finding?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does this exonerate the President?
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I think the Mueller report was clear, the President is not exonerated.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SCHNEIDER (on camera): So where do Democrats go from here? Well, sources are telling CNN that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is telling her leadership team
the caucus should shift their focus to their agenda and their message away from the Mueller probe and Russian election interference. Pelosi really
viewing those issues as a distraction from their agenda and as such, Speaker Pelosi will be unveiling a healthcare plan later today -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: And that was CNN's Jessica Schneider there. Okay, need some analysis. Let's go straight to Washington. CNN legal analyst, Shan Wu is
standing by. Shan, thank you for joining us. We know that -- quick introduction here -- you bring a unique perspective because you served on
the legal team representing Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign official during the Mueller investigation. Welcome back to "News Stream." The top
question is this, Shan.
U.s. Democrats, they are calling for the full release of the Mueller report. To get the full report, what needs to happen next?
SHAN WU, LEGAL ANALYST, CNN: Probably ideally it would be turned over voluntarily through some negotiation with the Justice Department.
Traditionally, when Congress asks the Justice Department for the release of this type of investigation related information, there is some negotiation
back and forth as to the scope, the Justice Department will sanitize it in terms of any sensitive grand jury material, things that shouldn't be
released publicly.
Here, however, it doesn't seem likes the Justice Department is very inclined to do that, and if that remains the case, then Congress would he
have to subpoena the document. Justice may put up a fight and then it goes to the courts to decide how that subpoena would or would not be enforced.
LU STOUT: Well, meanwhile, President Trump, his reaction, he is gloating and he has been turning on his critics. He is vowing to pursue and punish
those responsible for the Mueller investigation. What could he do next? Could he launch a new separate inquiry?
WU: Although, he's the head of the Executive Branch, he could direct the Justice Department to do that and probably would get some pushback. I'm
not sure that Attorney General Barr would want to be seen as part of an effort to pushback or to punish Trump's political enemies, but he could try
to open up a criminal investigation. That's what he seems to be wanting to do.
[08:25:06]
WU: I don't think the career people would be very predisposed to listening to him do that and I think AG Barr would probably likely push back on that,
as well. But he could ask for that. That seems to be what he wants to do.
LU STOUT: Yes, and what about all the other investigations into Donald Trump? Will they be affected and how?
WU: They probably won't be affected and that's really the problem for the President. The House investigations are going to certainly continue to go
forward. Criminal-wise, the Southern District of New York has a number of matters that will be unaffected by anything in the Mueller report.
In addition to that, the state government in the state of New York, the Attorney General's Office is conducting some investigations which also
could go criminal. So there is really a lot more that is threatening to him in terms of both criminal as well as the Congressional investigations
and of course, that is why everyone is anxious to see the actual report because whether or not there is a criminal issue there that is the kind of
detail that Congress and the American public needs to see.
LU STOUT: Yes, and that's the core question here, right? Everyone wants to see the full report because everyone wants the answer to the question,
why did Robert Mueller not decide on obstruction of justice? What is your thoughts on that?
WU: That's a very puzzling issue, but it may have been made more puzzling by the way that Attorney General Barr kind of cherry picked what quotes to
use in his summary, and that's what it is, there is almost no quotes from Mueller, except for this rather damning quote that says the President is
not exonerated on the obstruction issue. We don't know what that conversation was about.
We don't know if Mueller said that this is something that's more appropriate -- give it to Congress because it might be impeachable. We
don't know if he said that without the ability to interview the President, that he couldn't make that call and we don't even know if Mueller said to
the Attorney General, you make the decision, which would be a little bit odd since he was willing to make the decision on whether or not to charge
on conspiracy with Russia.
So that is part of the problem is, we just don't know what the context is and what the answers are. The Attorney General certainly within his
jurisdictional power to say I'm the Attorney General, we're not going to charge. But again, it's really critical to understand why Mueller said
that because it is a very, very puzzling statement to have made.
LU STOUT: Yes, very puzzling and we are left just scratching our heads, but until we get the full report, Shan Wu, we'll leave it at that. Thank
you as always and take care.
Now, you're watching "News Stream." Still to come right here on the program, after tearing apart the British Prime Minister's strategy,
lawmakers there are getting set to lay out their Brexit plan. Keep it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to the show. I'm Julia Chatterley outside the British Houses of Parliament in London. Welcome back, again. So let's
give you an update now on what we're seeing in terms of expectations here in Westminster. Parliament is preparing to have its say on how Britain
should leave the European Union.
Lawmakers seized control of the Brexit debate on Monday in a late night power grab. It voted to explore alternatives to the Prime Minister's
Brexit strategy including options she herself had taken off the table. These could include a Norway style deal, a no deal Brexit or even a new
referendum.
Parliament will spend Wednesday exploring the options in a series of indicative votes. CNN contributor Robin Oakley joins us now. Robin, great
to have you with us. We were discussing earlier on in the show, the point and the relevance of these indicative votes when Theresa May has already
said she may not abide by them.
ROBIN OAKLEY, POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR, CNN: Well, she said that, but at the same time, this is the first chance that MPs themselves have had a chance
to agree on something they might back. If they back something very, very strongly and put it to her government, there will be furious reaction if
she doesn't at least move in their direction. Now of course, she is skeptical. She says they might push forward something that is unnegotiable
with the European Union, they might put some forth ideas that are mutually contradictory.
And let's not invest too much hope in this process of these indicative votes. The House of Commons has done it before and the House of Lords
before. They put up five ideas, they knocked down all five ideas. And suddenly the idea that MPs are going to be guided by sweetness and light
and reason, not really because there are things like general elections hanging in the air at the moment.
People want to be chosen to represent their Party in those general elections. They will be very careful, still, how they vote because they
know whether they're in the leave or remain constituency at the time of the last referendum. It's not going to be all purity.
CHATTERLEY: No, certainly not and there's a few things that have happened as well this morning. Arch Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg acknowledging on
social media that perhaps it's Theresa May's deal or no Brexit at all, a huge admission from him, but also now the suggestion that Theresa May could
speak to the Conservative Party, the 1922 Committee tomorrow before these indicative votes but things are shifting.
OAKLEY: Yes, that's two interesting things there, really. I mean, the shift with Jacob Rees-Mogg, okay, it was significant yesterday, all the big
beasts of the hard line Brexiteers who have been pushing for Theresa May's so hard to make it a tough Brexit. They were all very, very quiet. No
Boris Johnson, no Jacob Rees-Mogg, no Ian Duncan Smith appearing in the debate yesterday at all.
Now Jacob Rees-Mogg saying okay, if the DUP, Theresa May's allies in Northern Ireland come across, then I might come across. It doesn't mean he
would carry everybody in his European Research Group, but it is a sign, and that is a sign what perhaps where the whole idea of these indicative votes
may play into Theresa May's hands because as they see MPs -- when the referendum was first held, 480 members of the 650 in the House of Commons
were remainers according to her pretty dependable survey.
So the more it's in their hands, the Parliamentarians, the more likely it is going to be a softer, longer Brexit. That is concentrating the minds of
the hardliners like Jacob Rees-Mogg so we've already seen the move there.
As for Theresa May addressing her back benchers tomorrow, now, is that going to be the moment at which she makes one final rallying call and has
one final go for her deal? Is it also going to be the moment when she says, okay, boys, give me that deal and I will step down as Conservative
Party leader? Because a lot of them don't want her leading the next phase of negotiations about Britain's future trading deal with Europe.
CHATTERLEY: The ultimate concession in order to get her deal through. I've seen those arch Brexiteers called wizards on social media, in fact. I
think we could do a Harry Potter at this stage, someone coming in and wave a wand, Kristie. On that note, I'll hand it back to you.
LU STOUT: Julia, thank you and we will see you again at top of the hour for "First Move." Take care. Now, a woman who helped to hide the CIA
whistleblower, Edward Snowden in Hong Kong, she has been granted asylum in Canada along with her daughter. Vanessa and Rodel and her 7-year-old
daughter, they arrived in Toronto on Monday after living here in Hong Kong for years without proper legal status.
Now, Rodel is a refugee from the Philippines where she says she was a victim of human trafficking. She and two Sri Lankan families housed
Snowden in 2013 after he leaked classified documents and was branded a traitor in the U.S.
[08:35:07]
LU STOUT: And in 2017, her asylum application in Hong Kong was denied. Snowden now lives in Russia where he was granted asylum.
Two Saudi sisters have been fearfully looking over their shoulders for the past six months, but now, they are finally beginning a new life of freedom.
The sisters fled their family during a holiday, but their plan to escape to Australia came to a sudden halt in Hong Kong. Ivan Watson picks up their
story.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN (voice over): This is the moment two sisters from Saudi Arabia find out they will suddenly be
free.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be flying out at the end of next week.
[Cheering by Rawan and Reem]
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): A country which we won't identify for their safety has just granted the sisters emergency humanitarian visas. Six months of
living in limbo in Hong Kong now finally over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will finally have my rights for the first time in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): This 18 and 20-year-old Rawan and Reem, not their real names, during much less happy times. For their security, they've
asked us not to show their faces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since we were teenagers, we experienced family violence and abuse, and we wanted to run away of this.
WATSON (on camera): Who was committing the violence in the family?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Father and the brothers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): In September of last year, the sisters conspired to flee from their family during a beach vacation in Sri Lanka. They were en
route to Australia during what was supposed to be a two-hour layover in Hong Kong International Airport when they say airline employees and
diplomats from the Saudi Consulate in Hong Kong intervened, taking their passports, allegedly cancelling their tickets to Australia without their
permission and trying to get them on a flight back to Saudi Arabia. Their lawyer filed criminal charges on their behalf.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL VIDLER, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, VIDLER AND CO.: We alleged that they were the subject of an attempted kidnapping at Hong Kong International
Airport in a restricted area.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (on camera): Hong Kong Police confirmed to CNN that they're investigating what happened in the airport on that day. In the meantime,
CNN reached out multiple times to both the Saudi Foreign Ministry in Riyadh and the Saudi Consulate here in Hong Kong for comment, but received no
answer. In fact, the Saudi Consulate sent back our letters by mail unopened.
WATSON (voice over): For the last six months, the sisters have been stranded in Hong Kong living in fear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm afraid if I will go somewhere, they will kidnap me because if they can do it in the safest place, in the airport, some
official place, can they do it in the street? Can they do it in any place in Hong Kong?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): But humanitarian visas to a new country have taken away that fear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will have so many options that I never had in my life. I will have to choose which is a very new thing to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): Under Saudi Arabia's male guardianship system, women have fewer legal rights than men, forced to cover up and unable to travel
or even apply for a passport without a husband, father or brother's permission. The sisters have now escaped that system.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIDLER: They are the lucky ones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over); Their attorney says they have a message for the women they have left behind.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIDLER: The coverage of their story will alert people to the plight of women in Saudi Arabia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON (voice over): As they step into their new future, these sisters say they feel reborn. Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, the first ever all female spacewalk at the International Space Station has been delayed. Just ahead, why a wardrobe problem
affected the mission.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:40:00]
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Singapore is a young city state that has been defined by its rapid transformation. In this week's "Iconic Singapore"
series, we meet the athletes, artists and entertainers shaping this change by pursuing their passions. First up, an aquatic acrobat chasing her
dreams both on the water and off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SASHA CHRISTIAN, WAKEBOARDER: I've been representing Singapore since I was 11 years old. And I remember it being like an incredible experience the
first time going overseas and just wearing like the national flag on my shirt. And you, you know, all through the years, it's just a huge honor to
be there and just be saying, "Yes, I'm from Singapore and I wakeboard and I water ski for them."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sasha Christian is no stranger to chasing her passion, a champion on the international circuit, Sasha is an icon when it comes to
water sports in Singapore.
Now 25, she's taking time off from serious competition to study, but still finds time between classes to get out on the water.
CHRISTIAN: When I go out to wakeboard, I like to play around. I just like to do the tricks that I enjoy doing, making them look stylish and kind of
just putting my own element into the tricks. I think of any sport you do, like fitness is very important. I do sports to keep fit and I need to keep
fit to do sport.
If you seek excitement and adventure, wakeboarding is definitely the sport for you. My advice is don't worry too much about it. Get your basics done
right, keep safe and just enjoy it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Wow, she's amazing. She makes it look so easy. Now, the first ever all female spacewalk at the International Space Station as you heard
has been delayed because there isn't enough space suits on board that fit them. Anne McClain and Christina Koch, they were supposed to go out on
Friday to continue installing lithium ion batteries for one pair of the station's solar arrays, but because there was only one medium-sized space
suit on board, Nick Hague will accompanied Koch to complete the work.
And that is "News Stream." I am Kristie Lu Stout. Don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Amanda Davies is next.
(SPORTS)
[09:00:00]
END
