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U.K. Lawmakers Debate Bill to Stop No-Deal Brexit; Dorian Moving Up the U.S. East Coast; Bahamas Rescue Efforts Moving Slowly; Irish Foreign Minister: U.K. Hs Not Offered Any Backstop Proposals; New Brexit Talks Get Underway in Brussels; Labour Party Will Not Support Snap Election; . Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 04, 2019 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, live from Abu Dhabi for you.
This hour we are following two massive stories as the sunrises over the Bahamas, we're getting a look at the utter devastation left by Hurricane
Dorian. These images, well they speak for themselves don't they. We are talking truly catastrophic damage with entire neighborhoods wiped out. The
storm now tracking dangerously close to the eastern coast of the United States.
And then mutiny on the Thames with raucous rebels from his own party stopping the British Prime Minister's no-deal Brexit designs, a last-minute
election in Britain looks to be well on the way. Well the summits all much to do about nothing. Like this chief Brexiteer, he felt like a little lie
down in the middle of modern political history. More on that in a moment.
Max Foster outside Parliament where right now, Max, MPs fiercely debating a bill that could further delay Brexit and possibly trigger a snap election
as I understand it.
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's certainly all await this afternoon, Becky. What's going on the next few hours behind me here will be
critical really for the future of the U.K. but also for the very shape of Europe itself. This hour, MPs should vote on moving that legislation
forward. It would stop the U.K. from crashing out of the European Union on October 31st, and force Britain to ask for three more months to negotiate a
Brexit deal. Boris Johnson warns if the bill passes, he'll call a new election. Today, to a lively Prime Minister's questions, he sort of swiped
at Labour's Jeremy Corbyn.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Week ago the friends of this country are found in Paris and Berlin and in the White House. And he thinks they're
in the Kremlin and in Tehran, and in Caracas. And I think he's Caracas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: He had his lines all lined up. Didn't he? But there wasn't much new in the Prime Minister's questions today. Because he is basically got to
wait for the day to play out.
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Other than the fact that it was his first time at the dispatch box in Prime Minister's questions, and even though
Boris Johnson is a strong and effervescent orator sometimes. He's not particularly strong as a performer in House of Commons. We saw that today.
Jeremy Corbyn has had a lot more time in that role to prepare and finally want to want I thought it called here you will only recall be confident. He
had some zingers, calling Jeremy Corbyn Caracas. Underscoring the fact that the opposition party plan is a surrender bill, ceding all power to the
European Union. That's was being debated right now in the House of Commons as Parliament has taken control.
FOSTER: This bill will pass. It seems though they've got the numbers to bind with the rebels on the Tory side. What's the reasoning then for
bringing in a bill or a motion calling for a snap election which again won't pass because Jeremy Corbyn saying he won't support it.
NOBILO: Boris Johnson has taken an aggressive, a bullish approach to being Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, quite a departure from Theresa May.
He simply doesn't have other options, Max. If Parliament is tying his hands and saying, we are going to force you to ask for an extension. We won't let
you leave without a deal. He has almost no other options left, given that he doesn't have majority. And even before he lost his majority, he didn't
have the numbers to carry through the kind of Brexit that his government is comfortable with.
So this is his last resort in the hope that if there's a general election called, and we can get into that and why that might be difficult, that he
will get numbers that's needed. And even if his majority is slim, that the members of Parliament that are sitting with him on his benches will be
consistent with his approach to Brexit and will back his plan.
FOSTER: OK, we'll stick with you, Bianca. Because there's so much to breakdown here. What happens now while the House of Commons will vote today
on that bill, and that that will prevent the no-deal Brexit October 31st. This is an awful lot for people around the U.K. to take in. A lot of people
are disillusioned. A lot of people are very confused. Anna Stewart is trying to get a sense where they are with all of this. She's traveling the
country in a remain strong hold I understand -- Anna.
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Yes, yesterday we were in the Brexit seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea. The general consensus there was we want Brexit.
We want it by end of October. And if that is without a deal, then that's fine, just take us out.
[11:05:00]
Here in a remain city of Norwich, I haven't been able to find anyone that would accept no-deal Brexit. I haven't found everyone that wants to leave
the EU. In fact, everyone I spoke to wanted to remain. In addition to that, Max, haven't found anyone that if there were general election in the coming
weeks, nobody I've spoken to would vote for either the Conservative Party or main opposition party, the Labour Party. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like they all spoke Green they don't have the political clout that Labour and conservatives do and Tories do. But I
generally vote Green. Because that's where my whole philosophy rest with the Green Party. Even though they may not be successful politically or in
Parliament or in this country, they're an influence I can relate to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As it happens, I would vote for every remain candidate which is who I voted for last time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voted for Labour last time and I would probably vote Liberal Democrat this time. And the reason being that I think my vote was
represented as a vote for Brexit. Which it wasn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Max, everyone I have spoken to their wanting to vote for remain party, smaller political parties. It will be very interesting if there's a
general election in coming weeks, whether we see a remain alliance. We saw it recently to great effect. It could be very effective in remain heartland
like this one -- Max.
FOSTER: OK, Anna, thank you. So what does happen now, the House of Commons -- as I was explaining -- voted today on a bill that would prevent a no-
deal Brexit on October 31. If that fails, a no-deal Brexit is still possible. If the bill succeeds, the Prime Minister can call for that early
election. It's most likely it's happened. But two-thirds of Parliament must agree for it to actually move forward. And that's the problem which will
face Boris Johnson later today.
Joining me now is conservative lawmaker, Bob Seely. He backs Prime Minister Boris Johnson. You're a big supporter of his current strategy. You spoke to
him today. Do you know how he might respond if he loses the vote that he brings in tonight effectively?
BOB SEELY, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: I think there is a second vehicle, but I think there's two other ways of doing it. There is a second vehicle that
I understand that we can use where we can get election by simple majority of one. And I think that then becomes highly likely. The second alternative
is that the House of Lords I understand has already put down some 100 amendments to this bill.
FOSTER: I might be through your system.
SEELY: Yes, it might be. There's a lot of Lords who are going to be camping overnight, over the weekend. And if it runs out of time, it runs out of
time. It's fair parliamentary procedure.
FOSTER: That still doesn't mean an election would happen if they filibuster effectively for the rest of the week.
SEELY: If they filibuster effectively for the rest of the week, the bill runs out of time and the bill doesn't become law and we're prorogated next
Tuesday.
FOSTER: So this is 50-50.
SEELY: I think it is 50-50. There's one other slight issue, sort of fly in the ointment, that if there's move to bring back Theresa May's old deal,
with or without amendments to it, that may find a way through or not. So it's 50-50 there will be an election.
FOSTER: Just talk about that first option. Because we're getting into the weeds a bit here. But the fixed term Parliament Act is what we're operating
within right now, which is why Boris Johnson needs to get two-thirds majority In Parliament. You're talking about finding some sort of bill
which would push that aside, which would mean he'd only need a simple majority to get the election?
SEELY: Amendment to a motion can have a majority of one, and that can allow for general election.
FOSTER: Does he have numbers for that?
SEELY: Yes.
FOSTER: Despite the rebels.
SEELY: Yes, because the (INAUDIBLE) vote for it. We'll vote for it. So you're already very, very close. If the entirety of the Labour in
Parliament, if the entirety of Labour MPs say we are too scared to fight a general election, we're happy to throw spanners into the works of
government. But we're not going to face the people, but even then, I think we would be through.
FOSTER: Is that something that happens tomorrow or tonight? When does that process start?
SEELY: I think probably Wednesday or Thursday. But I am guessing.
FOSTER: But it does look like an election is happening on the date that the Prime Minister outline today.
SEELY: It's 50-50. It may be that if we filibuster all the way through to next Monday or Tuesday, then no.
FOSTER: In terms of Parliament saying, and people behind us as well, saying this is a coup, it's undemocratic, they're trying to undermine Parliament.
What's your view on that?
SEELY: Where are the secret police? Where's the takeover of the media? This is not a coup. I was a former correspondent. I've seen coups. It's
parliamentary democracy. There has been some significant procedure, irregularity, in past six months. That is undoubtedly true. Unfortunately
for these people opposed to a coup, it's happened when the speaker reinterpreted emergency debates to make government -- to make them
amendable and to give them much greater force. So there has been consistent breaking with tradition. But it is to help MPs try to takeover powers from
government. And that is concerning. But, you know, we've got to take it in our stride.
[11:10:00]
FOSTER: Do you also share the concern of many within your party about the way these rebels were dismissed today effectively. One of them by text.
SEELY: I do. I don't want to see it. I am a bit of a natural rebel myself. I mean, I resigned two months ago for HS2, the high-speed railway, because
it's a staggering abuse of taxpayer funds. But the most important thing here is that we need to deliver on Brexit. This about trust in politicians
and trusting members of Parliament to actually deliver. So do I regret it, absolutely. Do I wish it hadn't happened, absolutely. But I'm sorry, the
most important thing now is that we have to deliver on a mandate we were given, and need to do that honestly and openly, and we need to be out by
the 31st.
FOSTER: OK, Bob Seely, thank you very much indeed for joining us. A very busy few hours for MPs. Of course, ahead also the rest of the week.
Coming up, we want to continue to monitor the Brexit bill. The debate is taking place at the moment. There will be various votes. We shall keep you
up to date with Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, good. The chamber isn't even full, and it always amazes me when these sort of historic debates are going on in House of Commons and
not every MP is in the House taking part. As if they don't have enough to get worked up about at the moment, Max, some of them are furious at the
House of Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg. You can see him here on the left of the screen folks. All stretched out and comfy during yesterday's very
critical debate. Now fellow lawmakers shouted at him to sit up. Some opposition MPs say he was disrespectful and looked contemptuous and board.
So if a picture is worth a thousand words, Max, what should we make of this?
FOSTER: Well is ppeaks to a lot of the left side of Parliament has been accusing Boris Johnson's government of being, which is pompous, arrogant,
dismissive of Parliament. So he is lying there, a lot of defenders saying he's just trying to get close to the microphone or the speaker rather,
which is quite low on those seats. But it hasn't gone down well. He's dismissed claims that he is being contemptuous. Lots of memes going around
as well on the Internet. One of them suggesting evidence that Conservatives are lying in Parliament. You know, things like that. But it hasn't gone
well. And this is a guy, as you know, that does understand optics. I think he probably knew what he was doing.
ANDERSON: Yes, all right. Well, Max, it is difficult not to sympathize with those that have called him out for being as he is, for being contemptuous.
As we've suggested here. Lying down in the House of Commons. Contemptuous to the House of Commons and British people. In one of the most important
parliamentary debates in Britain's political history, that the repose of a man many of course blame for the mess that is Brexit. That image, somebody
writing today may just haunt the Conservatives. It may have just helped write the opposition's next election campaign. You can see the taglines,
can't you? This government is lounging on the job, out of touch, insufferable. Make of that and of him, folks, what you will. All right,
thanks, Max.
Still to come, the desperate efforts to rescue hurricane survivors in the Bahamas and what they are up against.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to look. Yes, everybody leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well tragic scenes like these unfolding in the Bahamas. Cars and homes submerged in water, people being rescued by their neighbors, and
their showing the scale of the damage this hurricane has left on these islands.
Well as the outer bands of hurricane Dorian bring rain and wind to parts of the U.S. east coast, the extent of the devastation in the Bahamas has
become more painfully clear with every hour that passes. The storm was stalled over the northern Bahamas for nearly two days, leaving large areas
under water. The Bahamian Prime Minister calling it a vicious, devastating storm. Well thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Whole
neighborhoods have quite simply disappeared. Seven deaths have been confirmed and there I'm afraid is a long list of missing persons. Hurricane
damage in northern Bahamas so extensive that rescue efforts are moving very slowly. CNN's Patrick Oppmann is on the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT(voice-over): One jet ski ride, one boat trip at a time, these Bahamians are saving the lives of their family,
neighbors and complete strangers. They launched from a bridge that is now underwater. Theirs is a dangerous mission. Hurricane force winds are still
raging here. Howard Armstrong was rescued after his house flooded to the ceiling. His house was one of hundreds lost as storm surged from Dorian
swallowed whole neighborhoods. Armstrong's wife Lynn didn't make it.
HOWARD ARMSTRONG, SURVIVOR: It came over the roof. I would imagine 21 feet at least. We were doing all right until the water kept coming up and all of
the appliances were going around the house like a washing machine. That's probably how I got hit with something in there. And my poor little wife got
hypothermia, and she was standing on top of the kitchen cabinets until they disintegrated. And then I kept with her and then she just drowned on me.
OPPMANN (on camera): I'm so sorry.
ARMSTRONG: I know.
OPPMANN (voice-over): There's no power on Grand Bahama Island, no running water, sporadic cell service at best. Submerged cars block many roads.
Maybe the last thing working is this all volunteer crew of boaters, risking their lives to save lives. Dorian fights them every trip they make.
(on camera): People are coming. They're bringing their jet skis. They're bringing their boats. They're going to get their neighbors, they say.
Everyone says they know of people. They say it is hard to navigate, because there are of course no more streets. And yet they are doing it. You don't
see anybody from the government here.
It is all very ad hoc. People coming with what they have. The jet skis they have they are dealing with horrible weather conditions. It is not safe to
be out on a boat right now. It's not safe to be here at all. And yet they say they know there are people out there, people who have lost their lives
out there, we are told. They've brought back at least one body and they say they will not stop until they get everybody. They have hours if not days of
work ahead of them.
(voice-over): While we were there winds hamper the jet ski and the rescuers have to halt their efforts. Rescuer, Rochenel Daniel says there isn't much
time left.
ROCHENEL DANIEL, RESCUER: They are exhausted. Some we had to carry. Some couldn't even make it. Some we put on a jet ski. We turn the whole jet ski
over, because they couldn't hold their weight. First one we found was my brother. He was clinging on to a tree and made it out safe. But we aren't
able to locate his wife at the moment. We hope that she's OK. But the rescue goes on. We have a lot of people supporting us. Everybody working as
a team here, you know. It's very hard. But we shall overcome.
OPPMANN (on camera): How are you doing? You made it.
(voice-over): Dozens have been rescued but many more remain in total desperation. As they spend a third night waiting for salvation. Patrick
Oppmann, CNN, Freeport, Bahamas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: That's remarkable. Isn't it? Hurricane Dorian is now a category two storm moving northwards just off the coast of Florida. Let's bring in
meteorologist Chad Myers. As this storm heads up the eastern coast of Florida, Chad, what are the biggest risks?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I think the real risk today would be that the eyewall would hit Charleston or maybe up towards Myrtle Beach. And the
eyewall is about 100 miles per hour.
I want to take you back to what the people experienced over the Bahamas. Because it's really going to be -- is going to be a 50-50 shot whether the
people were more injured and killed by the 185 miles per hour, 298 kilometer per hour winds, or that five-meter to six-meter storm surge.
Because water will kill you faster than the wind will.
We know that there were people here on great Abaco -- right in the middle - - that had their homes essentially destroyed by the initial eyewall. And that was about 2:00 in the afternoon. We'll wait for this to come around.
It's about a 40-hour loop. Here comes the eye at 298 kilometers an hour. When that I was over the Marsh Harbor, the people that had their homes
destroyed, they had a few minutes to get out of that destroyed house . Find a house that didn't get destroyed and get in it instead for the second
eyewall as it was coming around.
So we've heard these harrowing stories, where people were trying to drive around, looking for the next strongest building, because the one that they
were in was completely destroyed. And then we realized that all of a sudden, the water was coming up, and you saw pictures there of the people
that were carrying their dogs away, and dogs are swimming. They were trying to get away from even the owners, because they were scared as well. And
that water kept coming up and up and up. All of a sudden, you have six meters of water on a house that's sitting on the ground, it's over the top
of the roof. People were climbing into their attics, hoping that that would be the next way out. But there was no way out from there when the water
kept going up. This is really going to be bad. I'm going to toss back to you -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Chad's at the weather center for you. And we keep one eye on that storm as we discover just what has been going on in the Bahamas.
Let's get you to Nicolas Soames. This is the grandson of Winston Churchill who has lost the Tory whip. He is now in the House of Commons as an
independent MP. Let's listen in.
NICOLAS SOAMES, BRITISH INDEPENDENT MP: -- seeks to avert the immediate risk of a disaster of a no Brexit exit on the 31st of October, and that
thereby seeks to give the government and this House a further opportunity to achieve a resolution of this profoundly difficult issue.
Mr. Speaker, contrary to the Prime Minister's assertion, it does not deprive him of ability or flexibility to achieve a negotiated settlement
with the European Union on the 17th of October. But it does ensure that if he should fail as with his current demands, I think he is likely to do so,
then there will be time for him to rethink his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I am not standing at the next election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well my right Honorable friend except for me what I think is a view shared, not just from these benches, but across the house,
that that will be a great loss to our party. I
SOAMES: I am very, very grateful to my right honorable friend for whom I have such high regard.
Mr. Speaker, I'm not standing in the next election, and I am vast approaching the end of 37 years' service to this House, at which I have
been proud and honored beyond words to be a member. I am truly very sad that it should end in this way, and it is my fervent hope this House will
rediscover the spirit of compromise, humility and understanding that will enable us finally to push ahead with the vital work in the interest of the
whole country. That is inevitably had to be so sad and neglected whilst we have devoted so much time to wrestling with Brexit. I urge the house to
support this bill.
SPEAKER: Mr. Stephen Gethins.
STEPHEN GETHINS, BRITISH MP, SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And can I congratulate the member (INAUDIBLE) for her maiden
speech. I warned her that it may not look like it or feel like it, but normal parliamentary times I would be in first term, and there are a number
of twists and turns that we've seen, and that she should continue to expect.
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: Let's take you away from House of Commons and outside to Abbington Green where Max is standing by. Nicholas Soames who voted against
the government last night, he said with a heavy heart. And yet suggesting that he hopes that Britain will come out of this sort of unscathed. Who
knows at this point -- Max.
FOSTER: Well in that moment he is also urging his fellow members of Parliament to support the bill that's going through right now, which would
effectively block Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy. As he said, he has been involved in politics for 37 years. He is the grandson of Winston Churchill,
who was one of the founding fathers many people would argue of the modern form of the European Union as well.
So for him to go, this grandee of the party is a huge blow to many in the Conservative Party. And it's actually the one part of Boris Johnson's
Brexit strategy which really is back firing today it seems. Because many in his party are very unhappy with the way him and his chief adviser have
treated many of the grandees of the party just this morning, one of them being dismissed by a text even. We'll continue to follow. But it certainly
looks as though this bill is going to pass. And then we hand over to Boris Johnson and wait to see how he's going to get this snap election organized.
We know there are some maneuverings behind the scenes. Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: If you're just joining us, you are more than welcome. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. This hour we are following two massive stories
for you as the sunrises over the Bahamas. We are getting a look at the utter devastation left by hurricane Dorian. These images well they speak
for themselves, don't they. Truly catastrophic damage, with entire neighborhoods wiped out. The storm now tracking dangerously close to the
eastern coast of the United States.
And then with raucous rebels from his own party, stopping the British Prime Minister's no-deal Brexit designs, a last-minute election now looks to be
on the cards. Max Foster is outside Parliament where right now and as we speak, Max, MPs inside the chamber debating a bill that could further delay
Brexit. That is the U.K. exit from the EU, of course, and now possibly trigger a snap election.
FOSTER: Yes. Outside Parliament actually on Downing Street, we understand there are discussions taking place, about how they can get this snap
election to happen. Because under the current system, they're going to have to come here, get a two-thirds majority in parliament to agree to the snap
election.
[11:30:04]
But that's not going to get through we understand. So now they're looking at this alternative option, which is pushing aside the current law, and
effectively bringing a separate law into Parliament, a one-off law. Which would allow a simple majority, just a majority of one to pass a snap
election. So that could come in days ahead.
Behind the scenes, Boris Johnson seen very much trying out all the different strategies to get what they can out of this. House of Commons
debating currently, as you say, likely to vote on that bill to block a no- deal Brexit twice today. First in about an hour and a half on whether to add any amendments as well, and then final vote just a few hours later.
After that, Prime Minister Boris Johnson may table that motion to call a general election. It's unclear if that would pass. But they're going to
find an alternative it seems. Whilst the British Parliament consumes itself in discussing a deal or not, the primary obstacle to any kind of agreement
has been the Irish backstop. Speaking to Irish radio, RTE, earlier, the country's foreign minister said that Britain keeps changing its mind and
hasn't provided any alternative solutions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COVENEY, IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER AND DEPUTY PREMIER: Not only do we not have credible proposals, we don't have any proposals at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are they making any attempts? What alternatives have they offered you?
COVENEY: But the problem is when I ask for details, we don't get them. And what we get is loose language and generalization.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Which is a problem, Nina. Because actually, his team here saying good progress being made with the European Union, but not the case from the
people you're speaking to.
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. The EU is remaining notoriously tight lipped during these talks. Remember that technical talks
are actually taking place this very afternoon with David Frost, the chief Sherpa to the Prime Minister, if you like, the chief civil servant,
spearheading these kinds of talks with Brussels.
Actually here at the European Commission, he arrived a few hours ago, and we understand from sources close to that meeting that his talks are
ongoing. Yesterday we heard from U.K. diplomats that again, those talks would focus on this idea of removing the Irish backstop that's so
unpopular, both at Parliament and with Boris Johnson. That same U.K. diplomat did concede that both sides going into these talks still remain
very, very far apart. In fact, the chief spokeswoman for the European Commission asked repeatedly over the last couple days in various briefings
what the EU made of everything that they're seeing across the English Channel. And also what the U.K. was discussing with them. Whether there
were concrete proposals about the backstop that they would agree to on the table. This was the answer a couple of hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MINA ANDREEVA, CHIEF SPOKESWOMAN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION: I will not comment on all the internal developments right now in the United Kingdom. There are
democratic processes in our member states that we respect, so let them unfold right now. And then depending on what is the outcome, we can see
what the next steps are. From our side, nothing changes. Because we remain available to work constructively with the Prime Minister to engage on any
concrete proposal that he may submit, as long as they're compatible with the Withdrawal Agreement, and then we take it from there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOS SANTOS: So, Max, as can hear there's deep suspicion on both sides of the channel, MPs who are against Boris Johnson, some of those among the so-
called rebel alliance that essentially see political careers on the fire and voted against the government yesterday. You heard them in the House of
Commons suggest on many occasions these negotiations weren't really being taken particularly seriously, and that all of the progress the British
Prime Minister had been promising from the dispatch box wasn't particularly forthcoming. That is something that you're starting to hear here in
Brussels as well.
All the while, this British psychodrama surrounding where Brexit is going to go is keeping the press here very occupied. As can see this is the
French speaking Belgian newspaper, "Le Soir". As you can see, it says Brexit is creating the big chaos. Brexit also on front page of the French
business paper, "Les Echos", this headline says that essentially there's a tug of war between the Prime Minister and his own Parliament.
Where do we go from here? Well that's the big question. Obviously, as far as the EU is concerned, again, they've said that their door remains open.
But anything that the Prime Minister has to put forward has to be within the context of what was already been agreed with his predecessor. Notably,
a Withdrawal Agreement and basically the Irish backstop that they view is the best option in resolving the Irish border issue or something that is
very, very similar. It's hard to see two sides coming eye to eye on this.
[11:35:00]
In the meantime though, they've stepped up their no Brexit planning, and they've managed to as of today try and unlock extra funding for the other
remaining states inside the European Union to protect themselves from aftershocks of Brexit. That of course will be a huge issue for Ireland as
you just mentioned in your introduction -- Max.
FOSTER: OK, Nina, thank you. Some perspective from CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson. He's outside 10 Downing Street. I've
heard from so many members here of Parliament across the parties that one of the issues they've got is entrusting what Boris Johnson has to say. He
keeps coming and going. They can't quite work out what his strategy is. And that's a problem, isn't it, for a leader?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: 100 percent, Max, 100 percent. It's everything that Boris Johnson's issues right now -- and I
smiled when you said, it's all about trust. Because that's the key take away, we get here. The issue keeps coming up again and again and again.
Philip Hammond, the former chancellor who voted for Theresa May's deal three times. Who's now had the whip removed and essentially been thrown out
of the Conservative Party by the Prime Minister.
Reiterated, as did Alok Sharma, the shadow Brexit secretary, speaking as well. Reiterated, Boris Johnson keeps saying that he's making progress, but
the evidence we're hearing as we heard from the Irish foreign minister, also the deputy Prime Minister, that has been heard from Angela Merkel, the
German chancellor, the evidence doesn't support what Boris Johnson is saying. Yet when asked, he isn't offering the evidence to support his case.
He isn't offering what he has proposed or what the response to his proposals might have been. So there is this lack of transparency.
But the fundamental fact is Boris Johnson did come into this position with a lack of credibility just because of past track record as a journalist who
had been fired because he had lied at a newspaper in one of his reports. Because he had been demoted within the Conservative Party, because he lied
to colleagues there. So he came in with that legacy.
But really what we heard from Jeremy Corbyn this morning saying that Boris Johnson just doesn't want to be open to questions about what he's doing,
doesn't enhance trust because there's no transparency. So it is piling up. And the trust issue is one that's going to dog the Prime Minister, if he
does later today, as is anticipated, indicate that he's calls a general election. He won't be trusted on when that general election will be. And
until the bill that's being debated now becomes law, there's no indication that he's going to get support right now. And it is down to that trust
match. Absolutely nail it when you say it's on trust.
FOSTER: OK, Nic, thank you. We'll see what he comes up with later on. Because it doesn't look as though is motion is going to get through.
Also ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, we're going to take you to the U.S. east coast for a live update on hurricane Dorian and the effect there.
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[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: We'll get an update on hurricane Dorian now. After leaving utter devastation behind in the Bahamas, it is now a category two hurricane, and
it is moving up the U.S. East Coast. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is in Jacksonville, Florida. What are people concerned about most there --
Dianne?
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, the concern here mostly is flooding. And we don't exactly have Dorian up on us now. She's
sort of off to the side, roughly 100 miles off the coast at this point. You're starting to see some of this wind come through here. This is really
our first taste of the hurricane coming into the Jacksonville area. I'm on the banks of the St. Johns River.
And two years ago when hurricane Irma came through here, this river completely flooded the downtown Jacksonville area. This is a very large
city, about a million people that is completely surrounded by water, the Atlantic Ocean, the St. Johns River, which is the longest in Florida, and
plenty of estuaries, intercoastal waterways. And so, flooding is the predominant concern here.
But when will affect them more than anything in the immediate. Because once it hits a certain wind speed, they shut down these bridges. And that's how
they connect all of these different communities. Which is why the mayor of this community, immediately on Monday, had a mandatory evacuation for
certain low-lying areas, knowing they would not be able to get out of their communities if it got too bad at this point.
Now look, across Florida's east coast, we haven't seen anything even remotely resembling what they had in the Bahamas with Hurricane Dorian. Of
course, sitting over for almost two full days, it's moving up at a much higher speed here. Imagine we'll be spared, not so much the Carolina
coastline though -- Becky.
ANDERSON: All right. Well that is the story on the East Coast.
Scientists say climate change is making storms like Hurricane Dorian more dangerous. You learn why at CNN.com. You'll find detailed information there
about rising sea levels, heavy rainfall, and storm surges, and how they can combine to make a big storm even more destructive. That is CNN.com.
And a programming note for you, CNN will host a climate crisis town hall in a few hours from now. U.S. presidential hopefuls take audience questions
about their climate plans. So do stick with CNN for that.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Wherever you are watching in the world, thank you for watching.
[11:45:00]
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