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Within the last 24 hours, Two of May's Most Important Members of her Government abandoned her and Brexit. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired July 09, 2018 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[12:00:00]

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST, CNN: Welcome back, let's get started (ph) right into our breaking news coverage this hour as Britain's prime minister tries to

keep a hold of her job yet again.

Let's remind you what's going on. Within the last 24 hours, two of her most well known and important members of her government abandoning her and

her plan for Brexit. The British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on the left here, quit in the just the last few hours.

That follows the resignation of the Brexit secretary, the man -- one who was meant to be helping run the Brexit show and helping to deliver Brexit

for the British people. These are astonishing developments and a huge blow to the prime minister herself, for this (ph) bringing in the threat of a no

confidence vote now looming over the prime minister in parliament.

She was heckled while paying tribute to both Davis and Johnson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THERESA MAY, PRIME MINISTER, UNITED KINGDOM: We do not agree about the best of delivering our shares commitment to honor the result of the

referendum. But I want to recognize the work of the former secretary of state for exiting the European Union, for the work he did to establish a

new department and fear (ph) -- and fear (ph) through parliament, some of the most important legislation for generations.

And similarly, to recognize the passion that the former foreign secretary demonstrated in promoting -- in promoting -- in promoting --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Order, order. (Inaudible) unseemly atmosphere.

(LAUGHTER)

I want to hear about these important matters.

(LAUGHTER)

And I think the House should, the prime minister.

MAY: Thank you, in -- the former foreign secretary demonstrated in promoting a global Britain to the world as we leave the European Union.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Well these words about two of her what are now former cabinet members, Nick Robertson is outside the prime minister's residence in Downing Street.

Nina Dos Santos joining me from our London Bureau, Thomas Raines, program manager for Europe at Chatham House is in London, as is political

commentator Nina Schick, right.

I can't support the Brexit plan, but I do support Theresa May, says David Davis, now for Brexit secretary. Boris Johnson we haven't heard from, we

are waiting to see him, hoping to see him leave, Nic, his residence -- former residence in London.

What's going on?

NIC ROBERTSON, INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR, CNN: Well it was a battering and bruising for Theresa May on the scale that she has seen

before that she has weathered before.

But this storm does seem to be gathering momentum first -- first David Davis then Boris Johnson. A hammer blow (ph) of David Davis, who sort of

stepped over that, a second hammer blow (ph) from Boris Johnson.

That resounds much louder, he is a more charismatic figure, he does draw people towards him or at least has done in the past. But I think what we

heard today in parliament as Theresa May was stepping everyone through her position, what she believed the cabinet had agreed on Friday, sequestered

there at Chequers, the country house.

Not -- not near their phones, unable to sort of relay their positions and thoughts to the public as they were there. She thought she had that

position nailed down, she thought she had agreement, she laid out the plan today.

And when she said, you know, this is a proposal that is challenging the European Union, there was a huge jeering and cheering that erupted in the

chamber there. And you could almost hear in her voice when she picked up from that as if not rattled but -- but there was a sense in her voice

somewhat in awe the -- the pushback on her view and what she's saying was so strong.

We heard from members of her party asking questions and others, but it was the members of her party that were the most telling. You had people like

Ian Duncan Smith, former leading lights (ph) within the party, back then (ph) just now asking questions, are there going to be further compromises?

People were staking out the positions people in her party supporting of her, and -- and very clearly sort of asking a very difficult and troubling

questions. Perhaps the leader of the opposition hit it most succinctly in damaging blows, although she has taken and absorbed many from him before

and delivered back when he said it's taken two years for Theresa May to get to this position.

It has collapsed in two days. Again, a lot of cheering, a lot of jeering, but really the question is now how many conservative M.P.s are standing up

in support of Theresa May, how many are raising hands and questions in objection, because that will of course be the clue to the numbers.

Whether somebody like Boris Johnson or someone else could lead a leadership challenge, 48 would be the magic number to do that before the weekend, she

said she would fight -- she would fight a contest if that were the case.

[12:05:00]

ANDERSON: As this debate goes on, I mean, a complete failure of government, chaos of her own making. The opposition blasting to read them,

mate (ph) understandably. You would expect that in the chamber.

She cut a defined figure today, but just how damaged is the Prime Minister and her government at this point?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT:: Well, it's quite unprecedented to see two significant figures like this and really significant ministerial

positions just before, by the way, a major state visit from - or working visit from a U.S. president can a couple (ph) of times for something like

this to happen and for it not potentially to precipitate a leadership conflict.

Now, if she faces a vote of no confidence, so far it's been indicated that she will fight that, but when it comes to who may throw their hat into the

ring, Boris Johnson, of course, was one of her main rivals for the leadership content before the last general election, and he was also

challenged by somebody's future (ph) we don't know, and that is Michael Gove. He's currently Secretary of State for the Environment.

There was a lot of speculation on Twitter that he may be somebody else who's a very prominent lead campaigner and to run up to the referendum who

may also decide to abandon the shaky ship of government that we have at the moment.

And all of this is quite significant in terms of timing, Becky, because remember, it takes about three months to organize, host, and eventually

settle a conservative party leadership contest, and the time is ticking when it comes to Brexit.

The next big summit that is set to take place in Brussels is in October. The E.U.'s made it very clear that they've been quite disappointed on the

progress that has been made by the British government so far when it comes to negotiating the terms for Brexit. And by October, that was when we were

expecting some kind of foreign negotiations to be in place that these parties could eventually rubber stamp.

Now, we're expecting a white paper still to come out on the actual terms of the Brexit plan so far from the British government. That escalated for

Thursday, but a week is long in politics, and the last 24 hours have probably felt even longer for Theresa May. Becky -

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. So these deadlines that they're working towards as Nina points out by October of this year, the E.U. wants to agree

on a withdrawal treaty. If this pulls right (ph), the Irish border and a divorce settlement. Then the U.K. and E.U. parliament must ratify the

agreement in January 2019, just two months before the U.K.'s departure from the E.U. on March the 29th, the same year.

At this point, Thomas, can Theresa may pull this off, let alone survive?

THOMAS RAINES, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR EUROPE, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, I think one of the principle concerns that everyone has is around the very

difficult and challenging timeline. This is a negotiation which was set to last two years under the terms of the E.U. treaty under article 50 can only

be extended with complete agreement from other E.U. member states.

And each deadline has been set has slightly slipped, so there was this idea that the June - originally the June summit was seen as a crunch, but then

it was clear that there wasn't a unified U.K. position to move forward now. All eyes on October.

And it's not just the withdrawal agreement that needs to be agreed, although that's a core component. It's also about agreeing the terms of

the transition, which is supposed to last until the end of December 2020, and agreeing a political agreement about their future relationship, the

details of which are supposed to be negotiated during that transition agreement.

So there's still a great deal to do, and at the moment it seemed that Theresa May had broken a piece between her cabinet, but that's only an

agreement within the cabinet. It's not a deal with Brussels, so this was the beginning of a more coherent U.K. negotiating position, but it was

still one that was likely to encounter a degree of hostility in Brussels so the way that it tries to separate aspects at a single market, for example.

So there's a lot of hard work ahead in Brussels, let alone in trying to rebuild agreement within the U.K. cabinet.

ANDERSON: Nina, is this - or are these departures then that we have seen, critical departures, the departure of the guy who was supposed to be

helping Theresa May delvier Brexit. That was a Brexit Secretary, David Davis, and the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. Are these two principle

politicians resigning -

NINA SCHICK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think -

ANDERSON: - because they simply don't feel they can go on, or are these two men jumping and lifting ship at this point?

SCHICK: I think there are two things to take into consideration here. The reality is that Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary was being kept as far

away from Brexit negotiations as possible. He had nothing really to do with the negotiations, and he's been frustrating Theresa May over the last

year. You know, writing various op-eds in national papers, threatening that if, you know, certain tests aren't met that he'll resign.

[12:10:00] The same with David Davis. David Davis is actually the - well, was actually the Brexit Minister, and yet it came out, for example, he's

only had four hours of talks with Michel Banier, his counterpart for the E.U., this year.

So what's happened as the Brexit negotiations have gone along, is that Number 10 and Theresa May with Olly Robbins, who is her special advisor,

actually been leading the negotiation. So, David Davis has been sidelined, Forest Johnson has also been sidelined.

Now David Davis has also been threatening to resign on numerous occasions and of course he eventually did it. And I think what might happen is that

the Brexit tiers who, by the way, promised a whole plethora of advantages for the U.K. after the U.K. were to leave the European Union.

As reality sinks in and it becomes clear form the negotiations, that all those things they promised are simply not possible. I mean, the thing

about Brexit is that there has to be trade-offs and that's a very sharp learning curve that Theresa May and Number 10 have been finding out over

the past year.

Now, in order to make themselves look better, you could you almost cynically argue, in order not to be associated with the Brexit deal, which

eventually is going to upset both remainers and leavers because it's going to be a botched compromise and further to Theresa May's position regardless

of whether or not the cabinet is behind it, the E.U. would have required further compromises.

In order to stay away from that David Davis has resigned and he's done so pretending -- well not pretending, but sayings he's a man of principle.

Now Boris Johnson could not have allowed David Davis to resign on him, being the leading light of the Brexit campaign, being the main minister

fighting for Brexit during the referendum than not have resigned.

So, I think you might see more Brexit support ministers and N.P.s kicking up a fuss in the U.K, and this for me, was always the question, vis-...-vis

Brexit and the United Kingdom, would the domestic politics of this become so messy that the Brexit tiers unable to accept the inevitable trade-offs

of Brexit?

Would they trigger the almost the nuclear option, because if Theresa May were to fall, it's not clear that there will be any kind of deal in the end

at all? That could be the nuclear button, the WTO, the no deal option.

Would the Brexit tiers be willing to trigger that in principle because they were so upset about the direction Brexit was taking? I think that's the

next big question for the next few weeks.

ANDERSON: Yes. No, I think you make a very good point. Nic Robertson, what is Boris Johnson up to at this point? Does he have a chance at

leading the U.K. going forward? Here's what he said about that prospect, by the way, a couple years ago.

My chances of being Prime Minister are about as a good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars or my being reincarnated as an olive.

What do those chances look like now?

ROBERTSON: Yes, I -- you know Boris Johnson has -- has, in may people's eyes, undermined himself that he's opportunities of foreign secretary that

he hasn't taken, that his language has been, at times, perceived as inappropriate, unnecessary, poor timing. People were judging partly his

decision, just a couple of weeks ago, that he had said he would step down on if there was a third run (inaudible) that he threw.

On the day Parliament took that decision, he was in Afghanistan, in Kabul, meeting relatively low level officials there. That defines some logical

explanation other that it's giving him the opportunity not to vote and not to stand on principle.

Has he backed away from Theresa May's cabinet now on principle, is out of conscious? Does he have enough standing left to rally people around him?

The question is, I suppose, who else would it be if there was a leadership challenge and how many other people might come to that position?

And would people see it as political opportunism and would they see it as very dangerous move that could take down the government? Ultimately lead

to a general election that the conservatives might do even more poorly than they did last year, i.e., loose to the Labor Party.

All those questions will be people's minds, but Boris Johnson has had an opportunity as foreign secretary over the past couple of years, but many

people have looked at how he's performed and have come ot the conclusion, he's not performed as well as he might have done. it was an opportunity,

he squandered that opportunity.

Now, has Boris Johnson given up on the idea that he one day might be leader of Brexit? There's no indication that he's ever said that he's throwing in

the towel. There's no indication that he's ever backed away from that idea. People that are close to him absolutely recognize his ambition,

recognize his intellect, but also recognizes his own voyalbes(ph) that often trip him up.

So right now we haven't heard from Boris Johnson other than his -- other than to know his resignation and I think that is very telling. It seems to

be indicative, perhaps, of somebody that's only come to his conclusion late today, remembering that he was very late to decide whether or not he was

going to support Brexit or remain. When he did, many of the (ph) people had already made up their minds. So he's come to his decision late today, is

he just figuring out how he wants to frame this, how he can best move on?

[12:15:00]

Or is he figuring out something much more politically Machiavellian to try to bring down the leader of his own party.

ANDERSON: Well we're keep an -- one eye on his residence where we were told he -- he would be leaving, and relatively soon. As of when (ph) this

is the foreign (ph) secretary's residence. He will be leaving here for the last time, of course, because he has resigned as the foreign secretary.

As of when we see him leave there in London, we will get those images sent (ph) to you. Nina Dos Santos, arguably the man who made Brexit happen,

forcing the country into a referendum was Nigel Farage.

He tweeted this earlier, bravo Boris Johnson. Now can we please get rid of the appalling @Theresa_May and get Brexit back on track. Many asked

whether this man actually has a conscience given there clearly was no plan Brexit (inaudible) and this plan that Theresa May now has put together,

falling apart within just two days, and it has taken her, as the opposition has been rightly pointing out, two years to get to this Brexit plan at this

point.

What happens next?

DOS SANTOS: Well so it depends what happens in terms of Theresa May's leadership, whether she faces a no confidence vote, whether she -- she's

indicated it seems as though she would like to fight that, and she'll try and fight that robustly if she uses that.

We may well see fresh elections, we would have a leadership contest, that'll take three months, and (inaudible) eat into the Brexit time table,

because remember the U.K. is supposed to be leaving by March of next year.

So there's only very little time to play here domestic politics. And of course all of this is being looked at from Brussels with increasing

amusement. You can probably hear here in Westminster some of the really vocal protestors behind me.

Well they're actually chanting and have been over the course of today stop Brexit. They believe that this disarray inside the Conservative Party at

the highest echelon is likely to derail the whole Brexit process and as a result, Brexit may well never happen.

Now obviously Brexit is something that hasn't just split the country, it split the government, we'll probably have a little bit more indication of

how likely Theresa May is to remain in the maternal (ph) later on (ph) because she's set to meet with a key bunch of back benchers, the 1922

Committee, later on today and whether or net they'll back her, that will be crucial. Becky?

ANDERSON: Nina Dos Santos is outside the British Parliament. Our guests all joining us from London for the time being guys, please stand by,

Theresa May today refusing to sanction the very idea of a no Brexit going forward.

We wait to see whether she can survive what is going on with her government today. Live from Abu Dhabi, lots more to come on our breaking news, the

British foreign secretary resigns amid Brexit turmoil, and also this hour the miracles continue in Thailand, four more boys are rescued from a cave,

five other boys and their coach -- four boys and their coach still remain underground.

We'll update you on the rescue operations just ahead.

[12:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, breaking news this hour, a spokesman for Theresa May says the British Prime Minister will fight any attempt to oust her from power

after the shock resignation of two senior cabinet members. Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson are both stepping

down to protest Mrs. May's plans for Britain leaving the European Union.

Paddy Ashdown is the former leader of the countries third largest political party, the Liberal Democrats. He's done jobs up and down the length of

government and is right now a member of the House of Lords, the upper chamber. He joins us now from Central London.

And sir, you tweeted before Boris Johnson resigned that it would send his leadership ambitions up in smoke and that the rebels will choose someone to

help lead them on. Do you stand by that now? We are yet to sight nor sound of him today, but we do know he's resigned. We have no idea why or

what happens next.

PADDY ASHDOWN, MEMBER, THE HOUSE OF LORDS: Becky, nice to be with you. I predicted this morning that he would resign. He would have to resigned

because while Boris has been doing - enduring the luxury of leading the rebellion and the Tory party from inside the cabinet. As soon as David

Davis left, he had to follow, otherwise he would be leading them from outside. So it was inevitable he would go.

We should be - absolutely realize this is nothing (inaudible). That's been cruelly exposed already. It's to do with his own personal ambitions. And

the logical consequence of this now is he will stand, challenge Mrs. May for the leadership. Otherwise, why would he have resigned?

I mean, it is preposterous. It is shameful. It is painful to watch. We have a Prime Minister with not single shred of credibility left. How on

Earth she can negotiate on behalf of our country in Europe, I do not know. Pity my poor country now held to ransom by squabbles in the Conservative

party that frankly would give rats in a sack a bad name.

ADNERSON: With the arrival of the U.S. president this week, does Theresa May survive this?

ASHDOWN: No. I mean, she may - she is there for one reason. Well, two reasons. One is fear of Jeremy Corbyn, but the other is the Conservative

party cannot on agree on an alternative leader. You know, the remainders cannot agree on a Brexit here, and the Brexits won't agree on the remainder

(ph), and they're divided into those two camps and in their trenches.

She's a bit like the sort of Albatross in The Ballad of the Ancient Mariner hung around their neck as a sign of bad luck. No one knows how to get rid

of her. The truth is that I suspect she will try to survive.

She's got one way out and only one, but she has never shown that she has the courage for a big move. That big move would be simply to say to the

Brexiters (ph), "do your worse. I'm going ahead with a soft Brexit," and challenge them fighter (ph). And that would be reshaping it in a soft

Brexit image rather than a divided cabinet, which she currently has. That would be her best way out, but I doubt she'll take it.

ANDERSON: What does all of this mean for Britain and the British people at this point, Paddy?

ASHDOWN: God knows. I don't know. I mean, from this fractured, broken, dystopian, dysfunctional situation in our politics and our government, any

outcome is possible in the next two three months. I suspect when the history books come to be written, there'll be many pages devoted to what

happened, has happened in the last couple of months, and will happen in the next three or four.

I mean, I just come to this point. At this point having taken a decision which I believe to be wrong, but nevertheless the British public took it,

we now needed a government with the credibility to be able to negotiate with the European Union the possible deal for Britain, and it couldn't even

negotiate a deal amongst itself. It is a catastrophe and it is shameful for a great countries that's had world aspirations in the past, but is

famous for doing things that are sensible (ph).

ANDERSON: Is the alternative being pulled forth by lawmakers in parliament this afternoon of a second referendum of an end to Brexit shambles? We

know there are -

ASHDOWN: Yes, yes.

ANDERSON: - significant members of the British public who don't want this. Is that feasible, Paddy, at this point?

ASHDOWN: I mean, there is an overwhelming public view. Last figure I saw was about 65 to 35 or something that the British people should be given the

vote on the final deal, and I understand why. The government has so badly mishandled it.

Here's a little prediction for you. It's always dangerous, Becky, to make predictions, but I'll make this one. The day that David Davis set this

bomb in motion by lighting the fuse this morning, (inaudible) when it become more likely rather than less likely that before we get to Brexit,

there will be one further test of public opinion either through a general election or through a people's vote on the final deal. And that remains to

happen, I think, at the end of this year.

[12:25:00]

But one way or the other, that is now the most likely outcome of the complete chaos of the government has now arrived in.

ANDERSON: Paddy Ashdown, you sit in the House of Lords. You sit in -- and to an certain extent I mean, clearly as a member of the upper chamber, you

are -- you will have an opportunity and have had an opportunity to play your own part in this.

Just how many of your colleagues are as engaged as you are in this process? Because at the end of the day we need as many people as possible engaged.

Surely, everybody who is the position to take their responsibility in the U.K, taking it?

ASHDOWN: No, they're not. I mean, I went to ask the Lords to get rid of it. I think it's a preposterous and ridiculous and I'm Democratic

institution that is 1,000 strong. So, only one assembly in the world is bigger and that is one from the People's Republic of China.

So, the majority won't be engaged, but many of us will. I think there are people in the House of Lords now who are determined to make sure that we

play our part to get the country out of this mess.

One thing and only one thing is required, but unfortunately it seems to me unlikely that is going to be achieved and that is at the other end of the

corridor, that is in the House of Commons in the lower chamber.

People put aside their party beliefs and their party squabbles and differences and put the countries interests first, and if they do that,

then the only way out of this deal made we're now arriving in, is in my view, giving the people a vote on (inaudible). And if that happens, and I

think there is a chance that our country will come to it's senses. But, that's the only chance we have.

ANDERSON: Paddy Ashdown, sounding a pretty pessimistic note, I'm afraid, but it's always a pleasure to speak to you sir. You analysis and insight

is incredibly important at informing what is a very, very important story. Not just for Britain, but for the E.U. and the rest of the world. Thank

you sir.

More breaking news this hour from Thailand, as more boys get out of the cave after being stuck there for more than two weeks. The details on that

are just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson for you. Let's get you right back to the news this hour. We are following what is a phenomenal breaking

news story unlike any, I can say, that we've seen before, right(ph)? You can challenge me on that, but I'm pretty sure that this is one of those

very unique stories.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight young Thai boys, can at last, see blue skies, breath fresh air, eat some proper food and lay down

in a decent bed after being wrenched out from their living nightmare inside the belly of a mountain in an extraordinary rescue through dangerous caves

brimming with dark, murky, flood waters.

[12:30:00]

Just hours ago, four boys getting out, the same number as yesterday being scooped up into helicopters to be flown out to doctors. They are being

treated, tested, and quarantined. So as of this very moment, four of the boys and their coach still left perched on what is a small ledge inside a

cave full of water. 17 - 17 long days in.

Well, we are out late into the hot, humid night for you this hour. Jonathan Miller right next to the very place that the boys got into the

caves nearly three weeks ago. Jonathan, firstly, how are the boys who are out doing right now?

JONATHAN MILLER, CNN ASIA CORRESPONDENT: Pretty well, Becky. The news from the hospital is that although they haven't been reunited with their

parents yet, the mums and dads have seen them through the window of the isolation unit in which they've been kept.

They've been getting their medical checks and all seems good. In fact, the commander of the operation said today that the boys were eating what he

called normal, although sort of soft food like porridge and that sort of thing. That have to be careful with the digestive systems I think after

that long period, that first nine days when they weren't - didn't eat at all, and they've been having sort of high-energy drinks and foods down in

the cave.

But, you know, they seem to be in pretty good shape. It's absolutely remarkable.

ANDERSON: Well, we know that that is - I mean, and that is absolutely fantastic news and, you know, I mean, nothing short of a miracle. These

eight kids are out. Four boys, Jonathan, their coach, of course, remain.

Just in the last few hours or so, this newly invited so-called kid sized submarine getting to Thailand. You can see it being moved to an area in

Nepal that's meant to go somewhat to making it seem like a tight gap in the caves. They're being sent over by the billion tech tycoon Elon Musk. It

seems though the rescue well-underway with an established routine, so they are in lightly (ph), what assumes, Jonathan, to change it we imagine, to

make room fro this at the moment.

And did - they seem to have a plan, correct?

MILLER: Yes. I mean, the plan remains in tact, and that's the good old- fashioned way of getting them out. It was actually the plan of last resort, frankly, because it wasn't an easy plan. You know, very, very

treacherous, very hazardous conditions, very difficult for children who haven't had much practice with scuba gear, that sort of thing, but it's

working.

You know, four more out today, four yesterday, five more to go, which includes the coach that they might even get all five out tomorrow. That

depends on the situation down there and the assessment of the divers and the doctor. But yes, it's probably going to be too late for all this high-

tech stuff that Elon Musk has suggested, brilliant, though, it might be.

You know, the operation was, we felt, going to be effected by the very heavy rain overnight, but the weather was fine today and apparently

conditions down below have (inaudible) pretty good.

There were about 100 rescuers in total down there, including the 18 international cave divers who've been escorting the boys out, one it front,

one behind, each boy tethered to the diver in front who carries his oxygen canister or his compressed air canister. So, you know, it's proceeding

well, it's been successful, and it's absolutely extraordinary to see it working so fantastically well.

This country is completely hooked on the story, and I think the minute the last boy gets out it's going to be like Thailand's won the World Cup. The

country's going to go nuts.

ANDERSON: Yes, and we do know these young boys who absolutely love their soccer. They are a football team after all. Have been invited to the FIFA

World Cup Final. That is on Sunday. I mean, nobody thought at the beginning of this week that that would be realistic. Who knows at this

point. 17 days and counting. That is how long these boys have been pinned beneath the Earth.

And Jonathan, let me just sort of take our viewers back to remind us all what this epic odyssey is timeline wise. They went missing June 23rd.

With time running out, a scrambling search. Like a miracle, they were found alive more than a week on. It took a day for food and medicine to

get to them and then another grueling six days for that first group of boys to actually start getting of there, which was this weekend.

Is there any indication at this point when everybody will be out safely, God willing?

MILLER: Well, the governor today said that there were going to be another 20-hour hiatus in operations, which will allow for the repositioning of the

oxygen and compressed air tanks that allow the exit.

You know, yesterday he said the same thing, and actually it didn't take nearly as long as that. So he might be lowering expectations. We might

see them out sooner. The last boy out yesterday was sort of early evening, same today. So, you know, it could be that the divers could get in there

11 o'clock tomorrow morning as it happened this morning. In which case, by about sort of late afternoon Thai time tomorrow, there is a chance that

they could be getting them out again.

ANDERSON: That is absolutely remarkable. We still don't know why they went into this cave network in the first place, of course. CNN's Ivan

Watson speaking to a woman who calls herself an auntie of the coach - the football coach who's with these kids, who's still in the cave with these

last four, young boys. And she wants to tell CNN not to blame him, through CNN to tell viewers not to blame him, and this is what she said.

[12:35:00] (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THAMMA KANTAWONG, (through translator): His father had passed away when he was 10-years-old. After that, the year later, he was 12-years-old. He

went to the temple to become the novice monk.

While he was the novice monk, he was living Lamphun Province. He didn't stay at my home. Coach Ek (ph), he loves those kids very much. Then kids

prefer to go out with him whenever their coach invited to go.

Children's mother trust him as he can take care of their child pretty well because he loves kids very much. He is a very good person, loves kids,

takes care of kids. He is very diligent, volunteers himself to help others. The language he speaks is very polite. For him, whoever will take

him how the way he is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: While at first getting flack for seemingly taking these boys inside the cave, now how is his image or how has image changed if at all?

MILLER: The assistant coach? Well, you know, there was this rather sort of uncomfortable rumor a few days ago - you now, there was a rumor that he

might be - sort of face criminal charges of negligence looking after children, but that went away, proved to be sort of literally just rumor.

And you had this lovely letter from the parents a couple of days ago completely absolving him of all guilt. You're right. The boys love their

coach. I was down at the Wild Boars Football Club tonight, and we were filming with some of the players down there, and there were four children

from the junior team who were the ones that didn't go to the cave because their mums and dads said no.

And so they hadn't. And at first they were, obviously, disappointed, but probably rather relieved that they weren't down there, too. They just

can't wait to get their friends back out again to start playing football. But they, too, have got this sort of sense of growing elation that the fact

that eight are now out.

And there was no talk at all of any sort of resentment or need for crimination against this assistant coach. He's dearly loved, so I don't

think - the poor man has a punishment enough being down there as he has been. And he has apologized profusely for having gone down there at all

with the children without adequate safety in place.

But, you know, he's going to be the last one out, and he's going to make sure that they're well looked after, and he's promised the parent's that

that'll be the case.

ANDERSON: Yes. Jonathan Miller, always a pleasure, sir, at the mouth of that cave network for you on the ground, on the story, thanks. More

breaking news this hour from Thailand. What does the forecast look like as rescuers clearly race against time and the elements? We'll get a check of

the weather in Changrai next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:00]

ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching CNN. Back to what has been a daring rescue in Thailand now. Mother nature fighting the

people working there every single step of the way.

Let's see whether she will let up somewhat, certainly there has been a moment in time where the joy on being able to get eight of these young boys

out of the cave has just been sort of overwhelming for those involved in this story.

Four more boys though and their coach still in that complex cave network. Let's bring in Jennifer Gray from CNN's International Weather Center.

What's the short term forecast, assuming that this -- this plan, this strategy that they've had for the past, what, 48 hours now goes according

to what they've been doing.

Looks like their -- their may be some prospect of getting these kids out in the next 24.

JENNIFER GRAY, METEOROLOGIST, CNN: Well if they can get them out in the next 24 to 48 hours, I think they are going to be OK. You know, they have

had an incredible streak of good luck considering this is the monsoon season, the monsoon has begun, and it is very likely that we could have

seen downpours day after day.

But the stroke of good luck amongst where the cave is, you can see rain to the north, rain to the south, so all day we have had basically clear skies

over that cave. And it looks like the rain could hold off yet again.

This is where the boys went missing and this is all the rainfall, you can see 14 to 16 millimeters of rain in the days just after, doesn't seem like

a lot but when you are in a mountainous region, it does not take much rain at all to flood the inside of that cave.

And then look, the rain just let up for the most part, except for that one day, the beginning of July. So going forward, yes, the rain is going to

pick up quite a bit, but I do think Tuesday into Wednesday, these are going to be some of our best days before the rain really kicks in on Thursday.

We have rain in the forecast each and every day, so I think that if we get those boys out in the next day or two, we should be OK as far as the

flooding goes. Here is the rain accumulation for the next seven days, and we could pick up 150 to 250 millimeters rain, Becky, over the next week.

And so that cave will definitely flood again if we don't get those boys out in the next couple of days.

ANDERSON: Yes, cross your fingers (inaudible) on this. Let's be optimistic about it, thank you -- thank you for that. Live from Abu Dhabi,

lots more to come in our breaking news this hour.

The other big story, the British foreign secretary resigns amid what is Brexit turmoil. What's happening to the market and to the British pound,

the impact after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:00]

ANDERSON: Back to the U.K. and the political turmoil there over Brexit. Just a short time ago, we learned that Boris Johnson has resigned as

Foreign Secretary. It comes only hours after the Chief Brexit Negotiator for the U.K., David Davis, stepped down later on Sunday.

Well, now Prime Minister Theresa May's situation is being described as pretty dire. She stands by her plan to leave the European Union. It's

been roller coaster ride for the British Pound in recent days. The sterling rising Friday on hoped (ph) for a Brexit compromise, looking very

steady this morning, but it reversed course after what were these surprised developments, the least the resignation of the Foreign Secretary.

Joining me now, it's CNN Money Emerging Market's Editor, John Defterios, and Market Analyst for CNC Market's David Madden. Let's start with you,

David. What's been the market reaction to what is being described, by the Prime Minister's opponents at least, a total chaos?

DAVID MADDEN, CNC MARKET ANALYST: Well, the total chaos has come from Mrs. May's opponents has translated into a sizeable selloff in the British

Pound. Earlier today, the British Pound was actually up against the U.S. dollar throughout the sessions despite the fact we did it as a selloff in

the U.K. around midnight last night on the back of the announcement that David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, had resigned.

Possibility had returned for most of the day session, but at the very towards the close of a stock exchange business in London today, Boris

Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, resigned. That caught the markets off guard. I was thought (ph) major selloff in the British Pound, both against

the U.S. dollar and also the euro.

It last time was reaching between 0.5 percent and 0.7 percent in a very short space of time (ph). So the pressure is on Mrs. May, and they're

certainly pressure on the pound.

ANDERSON: Yes, markets don't like uncertainty. It's the nemesis of any decent market. John, big question marks now over Theresa May and her

Brexit plans, specifically, though, Theresa May and this conservative government. Isn't the Prime Minister in danger of further fracturing her

own party with this approach?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN MONEY EMERGING MARKET EDITOR: Yes, in fact, Becky, there's not an easy road for her to follow here. Yes, fracturing the Tory

party here, but she really had no choice. And she's trying to find this common ground of soft Brexit. I think that's why we saw the market

reaction that David was talking about.

They're selling, it's not insignificant, but I wouldn't say it's a panic. We trained (ph) it in a range of one cent here, but these are not the dark

days of the autumn of 2016 when we had a dollar pound rate of 1.21. We're hovering about a 1.33 (ph) against the dollar pound, so it's fairly

reasonable her.

She's trying to pursue a soft Brexit, have a U.K.-E.U. trade agreement, leaving the customs union, not covering agriculture or financial services.

So trying to appease the party, but as you know, the party didn't want to get that close to the European Union.

I think I would add she's been listening to the international companies that have investments here in the U.K, companies like Siemens or BMW or

Jaguar-Land Rover. They were suggesting we need more clarity. We want engagement. We have to remember U.K. trade with the European Union hovers

in terms of exports to the E.U. about 43 percent.

She has to protect it. No matter what she did, she was going to meet resistance from players like Boris Johnson or David Davis. I think this is

a medium ground, not pleasing her party, not alienating labor completely, and engaging with global companies at the same time.

ANDERSON: But this sort of soft Brexit, David, was as you rightly pointed out what the markets kind of liked given that the pound had been higher

against the dollar. Let's put that in context. Look, you know, June the 16th or June whatever date is was - June 2016 and when we got this Brexit

referendum result, the sterling dropping from somewhere over 150 against the dollar down to about 135.

So these movements that we are seeing at this stage are relatively small, aren't they? But a soft Brexit seems to be what the markets favor,

correct?

MADDEN: It is, indeed, and the financial markets would prefer a soft as Brexit as possible.

[12:50:00]

The approaching markets are very fearful of the possibility of the U.K. leaving the European Union without a deal, a so called low deal Brexit

(ph). If that were to be the case I strongly suspect we would see further pressure on the pound. It's also worth pointing out that even though we

can see a major selloff in - in 2016, and again (ph) in 2017 on the back of the (inaudible) European Union.

We did see a bit of run (ph), essentially, from May - March 2017 onto March of this year or even April of this year. The pound was gaining ground

versus the U.S. dollar and the euro. It's only been in recent months that we actually had additional certainty surrounding Brexit. I've actually had

- I've also had a decline in the - in the pound, on the back of that.

ANDERSON: Not clear, John, who will be with Theresa May when Donald Trump turns up in town for his meetings, backend of this week. She doesn't yet

have a foreign secretary, correct?

DEFTERIOS: You are correct, and Becky, you raise a very clear point here. Who is going to the next foreign secretary, but will she have a leadership

challenge even after Donald Trump leaves town, is a huge question (inaudible). So you came into this segment with David and me talking about

the lack of clarity, (inaudible) don't like uncertainty.

This is the biggest for her going forward. Will she face an internal challenge from Tory party here. Jeremy Corbyn, the opposition leader for,

of course, the leader of the Labour Party, was suggesting she has left out the common agricultural policy. She's left out financial services. She's

gotten too close to the European Union, trying to have it both ways. If I take a step back and look at the international investor, though, no panic

selling with currency today.

The stock market has the inverse reaction when the pound goes down, so we actually saw the stock market recover. So this is not a great shock to the

stock market. We have to worry, does she face internal strife within the target party. She started fairly - or sounded very moderate on the floor

of the Parliament today, so I don't think this is going to be rattling anybody, but it depends who she picks. Is it going be a centris (ph) going

in as foreign secretary, is a key point, going ahead, as you - as you raised?

ANDERSON: And who - and who does she pick as that Brexit minister, that Brexit Secretary? To that point I'm just going quote you. The architect,

many call him the architect of the whole Brexit exercise, Nigel Farage, has just tweeted and he said, and I quote, "Given recent events I will discuss

my next political move on LBC at 7:00 PM tonight."

That's a radio talk show that he - he is a host of. I'm not quite sure what he means by that. I - I do doubt that he expects that he will be

given any position in the Brexit Cabinet by Theresa May, but who knows. The guy's isn't standing member of Parliament, but it's a funny old world

out there. John, David, thank you.

DEFTERIOS: For sure, thanks

ANDERSON: Well, you might argue, given the political turmoil, nothing in the U.K. is, well, working quite as well as the England Football Team. The

Three Lions already have reached a stage that they haven't seen since 1990.

Should they defeat Croatia, on Wednesday, they will reach their first final since they won it back in 1966, much of the credit going to their manager,

Gareth Southgate, who has become something of a celebrity as England progress. Mark Bolton looked at how Southgate got to this point, in what

are your passing shots this evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK BOLTON, CNN SPORTS JOURNALIST: England's unlikely hero and somewhat expected managers foundations lie here, at Selhurst Park. He was kept in,

in the `90s, when they were (ph) outside of the premier league, but the qualities he showed, early on, lead to primarily kept and see (ph),

elsewhere, at two of the clubs, before he finally put on the armband for his country.

MARK BRIGHT, FORMER TEAMMATE AT CRYSTAL PALACE: A good captain, obviously, because of his leadership qualities. A humble person, a professional, you

know, a really good professional, as a youngster, and those sort of habits carry you through your career.

BOLTON: Even of an idea (ph), of his playing career, when his penalty miss forced England out of the 1996 European Championships, making him a

national pariah, he managed somehow to turn a miserable moment into a positive one with some smart self-deprecation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Miss - I miss (ph) Pizza Hut pan pizzas unless I'm mistaken. Thank you, Ms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Ms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Gareth, it only weeks to choose to get over it (ph). Have some pan pizza.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pan pizza from Pizza Hut, a light fluffy base with a crispy crust, smothered with generous toppings.

GARETH SOUTHGATE, FOOTBALL MANAGER: Thanks a lot, boys. I feel much better now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, this time he's hit the post.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CAULFIELD, DIRECTOR AND PSYCHOLOGIST AT SPORTING EDGE: That didn't finish his career. He didn't finish his life. It hurt him. He wished, to

this day, he, obviously, would've scored it. It didn't define his life. He didn't allow that to come near event to which he would be remembered for.

[12:55:00]

ANDERSON: Management potential at Middlesbrough was unfulfilled but free of the archaic, machismo endemic in much of the English football

management. The football association embraced Southgate's more cerebral approach, and after a promising spell with England's under-21 score (ph)

promoted him to football's so called impossible job.

BRIGHT: We looked in to England manager, I think, at the start because I don't think he wanted the job. I think he wanted a bit more time, and then

embraced it, made some tough decisions, Joe Hart, Jack Wilshere, Wayne Rooney, not going (ph) and got a young and has molded them, given

themselves belief and created a history for himself and the country.

(CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: From England fighting to stay in the World Cup, to Great Britain struggling to make case with exit from the E.U. and the battle to get those

trapped Thai boys out of that complex cave network.

Logon to facebook.com/CNNconnect, we got all the best coverage for you from our entire global network there. That is facebook.com/CNNconnect. I'm

Becky Anderson. Thank you for staying with us, for what has been a couple hours of breaking news coverage. For the team here, it is a very good

evening.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END