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New British PM Liz Truss Arrives in London; Liz Truss Appointed Britain's new Prime Minister; IAEA releases Report on Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant; Iranian Activist Sentenced to Death; Amnesty International says the Person in an LGBT Activist; New British PM Liz Truss Heads to Downing Street. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 06, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN HOST: So they will be finding their feet figuring things out. We understand Liz Truss streamlining the Downing Street operation as
well but what everyone should be listening out for in this speech is any more specifics and indications of promises that she wants to make to the
nation that she wants to keep because she doesn't have much time to deliver on any of these and the challenges she faces are urgent.
ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: And Max of course, there are planes arriving form Balmorals in Scotland where she met the handover of power. Of course, she
met the Queen normally traditionally, is not far from here. So that journey would be far quicker Buckingham Palace, how daunting do you think that must
have been?
MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: Quiet daunting considering she was campaigning to end the monarchy and get the Queen fired early on in her career.
SOARES: --mentioned that so she went in--
FOSTER: As Bianca has been speaking to, it's very typical of the flip flopping you get with Liz Truss that she is one minute of Republican then
she's a pro monarchy. She was a member of the Liberal Democrat Party. She's conservative.
She wants to, you know, during the campaign talk about regional pay bargaining when she gets rid of that the next day. Actually, a lot of
people in the party defending her saying actually there's an advantage to that flexibility as well not being too stubborn about your policies.
So she does listen. But we also have learned about her during the campaign how, you know, steely, and, you know, stubborn she can be? She is really
bold, and she gets asked a tough question. She's not fazed. And it's been pointed out to me several times that she might not be that well known in
the wider world.
But in Westminster, she's incredibly well known. She failed to become an MP twice, got in third time in 2010. And within four years was in the cabinet.
And it's the longest serving cabinet minister; you don't survive four different prime ministers or three different Prime Ministers without being
really tactical, smart and bright.
SOARES: Yes, I mean, we interesting to see Bianca as we look at the plane has just stopped there at RAF Northolt, just outside of London, as we await
of course, for Liz Truss than to stop making your way to 10 Downing Street, when of course, we will hear from her from this first time at the 56th
Prime Minister.
It will be interesting to see Bianca is just picking up on Max said how much you know how much you'll be able to bring the party together bring the
country together? How much will she be a pragmatist? Or will she be a bit more like her icon you know, Margaret Thatcher, the lead not for turning?
What do you think?
NOBILO: We've had hints of both the fact that it's been telegraphed over the last few days that she is planning a huge package to help people
through that fuel bills this winter indicates a pragmatism from somebody who says that she wants to cut taxes and have a much smaller state.
And actually, the only things that really have remained consistent with Liz Truss politically from when she was a Lib Dem wanting to abolish the
monarchy today is she's always been a proponent of free markets.
And she's an intense libertarian. So I'd expect to see more of that. And it's interesting that when she gave her speech yesterday, when it was
proclaimed that she was going to be the next prime minister, she did emphasize that she was elected as a conservative and she would govern as a
conservative and that serve two purposes, I believe.
One is because there was some consternation that Boris Johnson isn't the type of conservative a lot within the party, Philip they can trust because
again, he was a populist, and he wasn't - he didn't behave like a true blue conservative in some respects, in their view.
But also to telegraph to the party that even though I've chopped and changed, even though I was once upon a time a liberal Democrat, and in a
very different party. I'm a conservative now and you can be reassured by that.
So she's going to have a huge challenge on her hands to keep her party feeling safe in her hands that she will govern as a true blue Tory, but
also appeal to the public at large. That is an extremely difficult task - isn't a particularly powerful communicator at this point.
SOARES: And we can see there - you can see there Liz Truss well, very frankly, just walked off, got off the plane and just walking just to the
right hand side also of your screen. So she has - that plane there we will keep an eye on those images.
She was to start making your way to 10 Downing Street where we expect to hear from her and what we'll see about 45 minutes depending of course, how
long that journey takes. Let me go to Nina Dos Santos, who joins us from 10 Downing Street.
And Nina Bianca was talking really just about the challenges that had not just at the policy challenge in terms of the economy, but also in terms of
uniting the party. What kind of Cabinet will she be looking at here? Will we see a more conciliatory Prime Minister?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, she does on the one hand, want to try and leverage all of the talents of the Conservative Party, but on the
other hand, she doesn't want any difficult characters inside her cabinet that might torpedo the whole thing.
I mean, she would have been inside the cabinet of Theresa May when Theresa May famously brought Boris Johnson back in from the cold and made him
Foreign Secretary and of course, he eventually usurped her position.
So those types of lessons will have been learned. There's been a lot of chatter among the British political commentary about how she's probably
going to rally her closest allies and keep them as close as possible if she really does want to be as bold as appears to be mooted.
[11:05:00]
SANTOS: Now, we're going to likely see the cabinet probably arriving and probably be nominated by the end of business today that some people say
might be ambitious but it appears to be what the government of the day wants to do Liz Truss' government.
She is in terms of the timing of things being held back a little bit. We're originally expecting this speech on the steps of number 10 Downing Street
and her arrival roundabout now, as you're just saying now that she's departed RAF Northolt, which is in Northwest London by my calculation as a
born and bred London.
It'll take her about 45 minutes to arrive here for an official first day on the job as the third female British Prime Minister to hold this great
Office of State. As you said, she's got a lot of experience though, inside the machinery of government.
She's worked as a representative to the Treasury. She's worked in the Foreign Office, which is one of the biggest jobs in the land. And she's
also worked in trade. A lot of this will help her to cement deals, to put the issue of Brexit to bed, hopefully for once and for all and to tackle
something different.
This is a government that has to very, very quickly pivot to the order of the day, which is helping people to pay their bills as their skyrocketing,
troubling, maybe even increasing by five-fold, especially when it comes to energy by this time next year Isa.
SOARES: And Nina, of course, we will be waiting to hear from Liz Truss in about 45 minutes or so, right behind you at 10 Downing Street, but early
this morning. I think it was about 7:30 I kind of lost track of time now. We heard of course, from the Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, what
did you make of the way he characterized his time Nina?
SANTOS: Well, he only spoke for around about just under eight minutes, didn't he? And I think there was a lot of consternation that he didn't make
enough conciliatory overtones here about his legacy that he didn't acknowledge some of the anger with things like the party gates scandal and
so on and so forth that marked the end of his time in office.
He said that he was going to be a bit like one of those booster rockets blasting off into the back benches, and that he wished his successor all
the best to try and deliver. But you've got to remember Boris Johnson has also been accused of stuffing potentially the House of Lords with some of
his friends.
And indeed, you were just talking before about what the new Cabinet will look like. We know as of overnight, there's some of the big Boris Johnson
beasts of the cabinet, even though they said supported Liz Truss, like for instance, Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, she is probably going to
head over towards as we know the House of Lords and focus on other things.
There may be other high profile departures who also might be rewarded with a period in a more conservative leaning chunk of the House of Lords that
could be an important thing to look forward to.
As you're talking about his speech he gave the usual characteristic charismatic flavor is probably going to be quite different to what Liz
Truss is going to deliver in 30 to 40 minutes time, here's a snippet of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, OUTGOING BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: On the subject of bouncing around in future careers. Let me say that I am not like one of those
booster rockets that has fulfilled its function. And I will now be gently reentering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and
obscure corner of the Pacific. And, like Cincinnatus, I am returning to my plot. And I will be offering this government nothing but the most fervent
support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANTOS: So as you can hear typical Boris Johnson charisma. Well we see that type of rhetoric from Liz Tuss. It's going to be a very, very different
speech I suspect. You were asking him before about exactly who could be inside the cabinet.
The big thing people are looking forward to be the business secretary - probably to be her closest and most senior chancellor here, Minister inside
her cabinet. She's expected to give him the keys to number 11 Downing Street to set out that economic and fiscal framework to tackle the biggest
issue of the day, which is she says as one, tackling the high cost of energy helping people with these precipitous rises in their cost of living.
But also to stave off a recession she thinks she's got room to cut taxes to spur growth. She doesn't have a huge amount of time though. So people like
that around her will make a big difference. She seems to think.
SOARES: And of course we'll be going back to you Nina as soon of course as the Prime Minister arrives just behind you at 10 Downing Street. Nina de
Santos there thanks very much, Nina. Well, my next guest has studied the UK transition power for 14 years and has written about what Liz Truss faces in
their first hours as well as days as Prime Minister.
Catherine Haddon joins me now she's a Senior Fellow and Resident Historian at the UK Institute for government. Catherine thank you very much. Let's
talk about the challenges that Nina was kind of laying them out the biggest of course it seems is the cost of living crisis in this energy crisis the
country has.
[11:10:00]
SOARES: What do you make of her plan? I know we lacking details, but what do you make of it so far?
CATHERINE HADDON, SENIOR FELLOW, INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT: We are lacking details. And I think that's part of the problem. I mean, in the last few
days, she has shifted from saying that, you know, things like, you know, no hand - no universal handouts and so forth.
Very much messages that go along with her leadership campaign, which was quite sort of ideologically driven, to now talking about price caps,
universal price caps, of potentially a huge package, if the reports are to be believed people are talking about sort of 100 billion, which is rivaling
the kind of support package that was put in place for COVID.
And remember, we're not just talking about this winter; they're planning for this potentially being in place through 2024 because there are worries
that the energy prices will be affected--
SOARES: --more blanket support, rather than a targeted support, which is something that we've been hearing that for some time.
HADDON: Yes, it would be. I mean, they're still - we are still waiting to hear the details of it. There are different approaches that can be taken to
this. But I mean, you know, this is kind of the crux of the issue. She has campaigned very much on, you know, sort of conservative core values,
talking about reducing taxes, talking about, you know, the problems of Rishi Sunak spending so much money.
There's a bit of sort of, you know, historical rewriting in that, but now she's talking about sort of huge packages, because the situation sits on
her. She will have been getting briefings from the civil service about the situation how bad people think it is.
And, you know, we could be seeing a sort of change of position. It'd be interesting in his speech in a minute to find out whether or not there's
some hints about that some reassurance to the public, whether that was a bit of a pivot there, but I think it's probably going to be tomorrow before
we find out any details about the plans.
SOARES: Exactly at the moment when you know, we need a detailed plan is lacking. As if you're just joining us, we want to show you the pictures in
the right of your screen that's RAF - not very far from of course 10 Downing Street. Cars are now moving. Liz Truss has arrived from Balmorals
where she, of course, she met the Queen.
She's now of course, the Prime Minister. And we should expect to hear from her in the next well, let's say for about 40, 45 minutes from 10 Downing
Street. And of course, that'll be the first time we'll be hearing from Liz Truss as Prime Minister.
In terms of the challenges you're talking about, we don't know the details. We don't know exactly how she's going to fund this, because that's a huge
concern? Are we going to have to pay these back in a couple of years' time in terms of interest rates? Is this going to be like a COVID package?
Is this going to make like inflation worse borrowing worse that these are all questions we do not have the answers do? But in terms of one poll that
I think I noticed today, it's something like 60 percent of Britons would like to see some sort of the minister called an election. And by the end of
this year, how likely is that to happen?
HADDON: I mean, at the moment, it seems very unlikely. Liz Truss, certainly yesterday, when she won the conservative leadership contest, she talked
about an election in 2024. You know, it seems crazy, given the situation we're likely to be in this winter.
And even if this package is put in place, it's still going to be hardship for a lot of people, because we're, you know, we're talking about a package
for energy prices, that doesn't take into effect the wider cost of living, the impact of inflation, you know, and there's also problems with public
services, you know, how to support the NHS better.
So there are so many issues. It's hard to see that the political party in power would be in a position where they'd feel comfortable to go to the
country in those circumstances. And it's also you know, elections cost money, they take up people's time, they stop you governing, importantly,
parliament isn't sitting.
So it means that the civil service, there is a lot of government business that has to get put on hold, because you do not have a parliament is
dissolved. It's not even that it you know, you could bring it back in an emergency.
So all of those issues make it you know, in some respects, a bit inappropriate to have a general election so I can understand the pressure.
You know, you - pressure to deliver but she's a new mind Prime Minister, and a lot of people will say, well, I didn't vote for her. You know, I want
an opportunity to do so. But there are a lot of government reasons why it's not a good idea.
SOARES: And you're looking now Liz Truss making her way to Central London 10 Downing Street very close to where we are, in fact, as the 56th Prime
Minister having made her way, from Balmorals in Scotland, where she met with the Queen the formalities done of course, we won't be business as
usual even though it happened in Balmorals this this year.
But, you know, for now, she is writing euphoria of victory but then comes the overwhelming work in trade that she has. And you know, she is reminding
viewers the third female Prime Minister to lead the UK and she follows in the footsteps.
[11:15:00]
SOARES: Of course, Margaret Thatcher was --I think it's one of our heroes. So what kind of similarities you see between them both?
HADDON: I mean--
SOARES: Besides a trusted - and so forth.
HADDON: Yes. There's been a lot of focus on Liz Truss in recent years in terms of how she'd been trying to style herself that way. Pictures of her,
you know, on top of a tank in particular outfits that seemed to harken back to some key moments in Margaret Thatcher's time.
So, there was a question of whether or not she was trying to feed into that sort of hero worshipping amongst her party. In political terms it's more
difficult. You know, there is a lot of with any government; there is always an ism that's put on later.
So fact - actually, a lot of that evolves over time. What - is particularly renowned for was a sort of instinctive approach to how she took particular
decisions. And in that, from what we're hearing thus far, there could be some similarities.
You know, supposedly, Liz Truss is a person who is willing to take a controversial position has, you know, strength of - when she's decided that
something is the way to go. There was certain pragmatism though, also to Margaret Thatcher.
And, you know, many people have been talking about this during the campaign. There's also, in fact, this time, there was a big emphasis on
balancing the books, she used to talk a lot about growing up, you know, over the shop of her father goods, grocers shop.
And you know, how important it was the sort of balancing the family finances and the same thing was true of government finances, obviously,
given what we've just talked about the scale of borrowing that you would need to go even if there was somehow a plan to pay back what we're doing
through later taxes, windfall taxes, anything like that.
That's still a position that some people were looking back to - would say it's not consistent with what her approach to government.
SOARES: She's got a lot of work to do, of course, expectations of course very high, you're seeing the motorcade as she makes her way to a new home
at 10 Downing Street. Home of course that we've seen Prime Minister Boris Johnson leave earlier today before he made his way to Balmorals home that
you know, lots of crisis during the pandemic with the cheese platters if you remember and the wine.
And she's turning a page, she wants to start afresh and we'll get assigned today some sort of sign from her when she speaks what kind of premiere she
will be like when she sets the tone of course, outside the first time outside 10 Downing Street. We will keep an eye of course, on that motorcade
as soon as she arrives at 10 Downing Street.
We will of course, bring that to you. In the meantime, I want to hand over to my colleague Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. We'll get you up to speed on the
other top stories right around the world. Lynda.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, Isa. We will keep an eye on that motorcade. Quite remarkable that 60 percent of Brits want a say in
the Prime Minister and the general election this year. Well, let's focus now on what is coming up after a very short break.
The UN nuclear watchdog has just released its report on the dire situation at Ukraine's nuclear plan, ahead why inspectors say they're gravely
concerned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back, I'm Lynda Kinkade, you watching "Connect the World". Well, the UN's nuclear watchdog is gravely concerned about the situation of
the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
That's word from its inspection report that was released last hour. Inspectors spent several days at the site and two inspectors remained
there. The report goes on to say there is an urgent need for measures to prevent a nuclear disaster.
Melissa Bell is following all the developments from Cuba and joins us now live. Good to see you, Melissa. So this report from the Director General of
the IAEA talks about what they found at this site. Inspectors, of course, had been there since Thursday last week. Just take us through what we know
so far.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a 52 page report Lynda, that's been published. And you're right on the back of that expedition, there were six
inspectors there since last Thursday, they've been shown around the plant. And what the report goes into some of the damage that's been done calling
for some measures to be taken up.
But it is not very much more than what we knew already that there had been damaged some of the images we'd seen already satellite images of, of holes
that had been hit in the roof that had been made in the roof as a result of shelling.
Perhaps most worryingly, wall Lynda is that even as this report is published, the shelling has continued to go on around the plant. And the
very latest that we're hearing from it is that there is a complete lack of water and electricity now in the town of - in which the Zaporizhzhia power
plant sits.
And also that we're hearing from the mayor of the town who's now on the Ukrainian side. We've also been hearing from the Russian backed authorities
about more shelling that they say has meant the nuclear reactor number six, which is the one that is now providing the electricity to cool the systems
inside the plant as a result of all the external power supplies and even the reserve power supplies being cutters result of shelling these last few
days.
That is now powering down as well, so an extremely worrying situation. But of course, this report, again, a reminder that there are at least there are
at least IAEA inspectors inside the plant.
Two of them remain inside; Rafael Grossi is to speak to the UN Security Council today. But in a sense, the recommendations inside this report are
fairly timid. It is very carefully worded Lynda, so as not to upset one side or the other, really not going terribly far in drawing any conclusions
as to of course who's been responsible for the shelling that's caused the damage that they observe on the plot.
But also suggesting fairly timidly also that it's important that the staffs are able to carry out their work, you understand that this is a mission
whose point is to be able to stay inside the plant long term.
And in order to do that, really to make sure that it doesn't say anything too controversial for the time being Lynda.
KINKADE: All right, Melissa Bell, we will leave it there for now. And of course we will bring you the details of that UN Security Council meeting
when it takes place in about three and a half hours from now, Melissa Bell for us in Kyiv. Thanks very much.
Well now to some troubling developments out of Iran where a court has sentenced two activists to death. Amnesty International says the first
person is a gender nonconforming LGBTQ activist.
Authorities charged the person with "corruption on earth" and accused her of trafficking young women. And now the person has also been charged and
sentenced to death in the same case.
Amnesty cause on Iran to immediately quash the convictions and sentences and release the two women. Let's get more on this story from CNN's Salma
Abdelaziz, good to have you with us Salma.
So, homosexuality, of course is illegal in Iran. These two women both activists sentenced to death. What more can you tell us about this case?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a continuation largely of what human rights groups and activist groups have been saying for a very
long time now, which is that sexual minorities in Iran are persecuted. You mentioned of course, the Penal Code, anyone that persecute any sexual
minorities, any sexual relationships outside of marriage. Now, let's take this specific case these two individuals one is a known activist, just to
clarify the other one, we don't have enough information on that individual to know exactly what their role was.
But Zahra Sedighi Hamedani, this individual in their 30s was arrested in Iran late last year, now in Iranian court handing down a death sentence to
Hamedani and another individual Elham Chubdar.
[11:25:00]
ABDELAZIZ: The accusation the Iranian court says they are being sentenced to death for "corruption on earth". Iranian state media is saying that the
court found them guilty of allegedly human trafficking of smuggling young women and girls out of Iran. But Amnesty International and other rights
groups say this is absolutely baseless Lynda, they say Hamedani in particular, who is known in the activist community, - Sarah is a known
LGBTQ plus activist, someone who is perceived to be or Iran perceives to be gender non-conforming, and that that is the reason their activism, their
identity, that is the reason that an Iranian Court handed down the sentence. Amnesty International, of course is expressing outrage, calling
on Iran to immediately release Hamedani and Chubdar.
There will be an appeal in an Iranian court, so we will see what the result of that is. But for Hamedani for Sarah, this is part of a longer deal,
Lynda, for this individual who was originally arrested in Erbil last year after speaking to the BBC about the persecution of LGBTQ plus people in
Iran.
After they were released, after Sarah was released in Iraq, they tried to seek asylum in Turkey by traveling through Iran into Turkey, of course,
they were detained in Iran.
And now of course, this charge this sentence, this death penalty being handed down, of course, there will be an appeal. So we'll see what happens
there.
But this is a continuation, human rights defenders say of this very worrying and very concerning persecution of sexual minorities in Iran.
KINKADE: And just quickly Salma, what are the avenues for appeal?
ABDELAZIZ: Well, that's very vague at this point, of course, as you can imagine, now, you have two different tales here, of course, Iranian state
media, the Iranian government saying that this is a case of human trafficking that this death sentence is because they found Hamedani and
Chubdar guilty of smuggling women and girls across the border.
Amnesty International of course, saying otherwise, so you're still talking about the Iranian judiciary here and historically speaking, activists will
tell you it could not turn out to be a fair trial in their eyes for somebody who is a clear and known activist again, Lynda.
KINKADE: Alright, Salma Abdelaziz for us in London thanks very much. Well still to come as we await the arrival of Liz Truss in Downing Street, we'll
look at the most urgent problem facing Britain's new prime minister. Stay with us, you're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
SOARES: Welcome back everyone. Liz Truss is expected to give her first speech as Britain's new Prime Minister this hour, well keeping an eye of
course as soon as that starts we'll bring that to you.
She is the UK's fourth leader in six years taking over from scandal plagued Boris Johnson. A short time ago she was invited to former government by the
Queen you see her there at Balmorals.
In the break for tradition the royal audience was held at the - residence in Scotland. While the new prime minister is due back in Downing Street
soon we're keeping an eye on her motorcade, her to do list is long with the country mind is, of course in a deepening energy crisis.
So Liz Truss is fainting, facing really a daunting inbox. Bianca joins me now to look at what really awaits her. And Bianca, you know, we're looking
these live pictures keeping an eye on her motorcade, she should be arriving in the next 15 and 20 minutes to 10 Downing Street.
It is the first time of course, the country will be hearing from her as Prime Minister. What do you think the country wants to hear from Liz Truss?
NOBILO: They want action on energy bills and prices and the cost of living crisis because what we're seeing in Britain is much worse than elsewhere in
Europe with double digit inflation that seems to be spiraling further out of control.
They need to hear some kind of certainty and some sort of plan. That's what I've been hearing from people on the street. And I'm sure you have as well.
SOARES: Yes.
NOBILO: What will benefit Liz Truss in these early days is it's so profoundly unusual for a prime minister to enter office with such low
expectations and such a level of unpopularity, actually, so she's starting from an incredibly low base.
So if she looks like she's taking action, she's taking stock of what's happening, she's making sensible appointments, and she's getting things
done, we could see a little bounce.
SOARES: And - because I was speaking to Freddie Gray of the spectator has written a piece about, you know, basically saying that we're going to see
some sort of listening in the coming maybe weeks or months.
Because like you said, the expectations are low.
NOBILO: They are.
SOARES: And the work ahead, the task ahead is huge, as well.
NOBILO: And that will mitigate the mania, because even though he's right in the new appointments, often had that honeymoon period, especially like
Theresa May as well. If expectations are low, it's easy to look like you're delivering at first.
But because of the scale of the challenge, and people's focus being on the fact that they can't make ends meet and falling into debt. I think she'll
have to do more to generate a form of excitement about her.
SOARES: you know, something that, you know, the - was saying to me earlier is that there isn't sort of optimism that, you know, she keeps let's saying
let's not drag ourselves into a recession. Let's be optimistic, despite the - job ahead.
Can she please everyone? Because at the moment, this bold plan of hers, which I know, we don't know, we don't have the details for and I'm sure
that we will be hearing more on that in the coming days.
Can she please, everyone bow for the party, which of course, she has been pleasing for last six, seven weeks, and as well as the country.
NOBILO: Well, if she can, she's discovered a political panel.
SOARES: Right.
NOBILO: --all politicians throughout time wanted and--
SOARES: Because at the moment it sounds like she wants to do everything, she wants to grow the economy. She doesn't want to cut taxes, as well as
you know, not give handouts, but a bold package, a financial package. So she seems pretty good.
NOBILO: She's going to have to decide and prioritize because at the best of times, government can't do everything they promised in their manifestos.
They always fall short.
So they usually pick whether it's the health service or the economy or war, they have to decide what they're going to focus on. And that's where she'll
struggle to keep people on board with her.
Because it will be difficult as there's more pressure on energy prices to keep the support going for Britain's very full throated support of
Zelenskyy and the war in Ukraine. And I think that's going to be a challenge.
I think trying to bring the party together, keep the right wing on board with what she's doing. If she wants to be more conciliatory and adopt some
policies that labor have even being preferring to the public.
She really has a difficult time ahead of her. It will be interesting to see who she selects for her communications team. Because at times of crisis, a
leaders clear communication and being able to somehow find what that common denominator is between everybody who have different challenges and
different priorities, finding that striking that chord is usually what gets them through and makes them into a success.
SOARES: Well, she'll see in the next 15 minutes or so less than that, perhaps what she says how she will define of course the first few minutes
of her premiership. I know you'll be here with me, Bianca as we keep an eye on that motorcade as Liz Truss makes her way to 10 Downing Street.
And obviously if she will to appear on that podium outside that black door and she will of course, speak to the whole country and of course, not just
to the Conservative Party.
Well, let's get more on this. Joining me now live is Alistair Burt; he is a former Conservative Party MP and is now Pro Chancellor Lancaster
University. Thank you very much for joining us and apologies if I have to interrupt just as we keep an eye on these images, as we keep an eye on Liz
Truss as she makes a way to 10 Downing Street.
[11:35:00]
SOARES: Talk us through what you see as what the most important thing, that Liz Truss will have to say the message you think that she will have to hit.
She speaks in the next 10, 15 minutes or so.
ALISTAIR BURT, FORMER BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: I think the first and most important message that she conveys is that she is she's ready for action.
The leadership campaign has caused a degree of damage to the Conservative Party in the government, because of the length of time it's taken. While
there has been a buildup of fear and concern about the energy crisis, she has to hit that one straightaway. And give a strong sense that she knows
that the time for the time for saying something and doing something is very short.
And she must reassure people on that if she does that, and gives a sense, not a foolish boosterism, but optimism based on the fact that the country
has faced these big difficulties before we can get through them.
Now I think people will give her a chance, low expectations there are, but she's got a diligence and an ability, which ought to be able to match them
at this stage.
SOARES: And Alistair of course, we are keeping an eye on the motorcade, we will of course, we'll bring that as soon as this - as Liz Truss addresses,
the country will bring that to the public.
But let me ask you in terms of the challenge, a task is ahead. You mentioned the cost of living crisis. You mentioned the energy crunch that
we are seeing. What do you make of you know, the detail the plan so far, of how she's going to tackle this?
I know we are short on details, as Bianca and I were just talking about. But what do you make of potentially millions of pounds in terms of a
package to try and offset these crippling energy prices?
BURT: I think probably the most important thing is we lack the detail at the moment is that the intention to do something in terms of putting a
significant amount of money directly to assist the people who have been struggling most and would struggle most illustrates a degree of flexibility
in the economics of Liz Truss, which we didn't see right at the beginning of the campaign.
She is a firm libertarian free market opinions, but for an either ideologue, she knows that she cannot govern as an ideologue. She's got to
be practical; she's got to be pragmatic. She's got to take the best advice she can.
And at the moment being able to do something about the cost of energy, which does involve government borrowing government money, seems the best
answer to the most difficult problem she's got. She can't solve everything by tax cuts and supply side reform.
And that doesn't really speak to people sitting in their kitchens, or small businesses worried about the money, she's got to do something much more
direct. I think the intention that she's shown demonstrates she's might be more pragmatic than people thought.
And that may set up a challenge in time with those who would like her to be ideologically pure. But in politics, you can't afford to do that.
SOARES: Yes, more pragmatic, perhaps. And she needs a quick and practical solution that she was just saying, to really get a hand on this cost of
living crisis as well as energy crisis. In terms of the cabinet of course, her cabinet we're waiting to find out in the next few days, what that
cabinet will look like.
As you and I are talking now as we can see, members of the Conservative Party just outside 10 Downing Street, clearly waiting for that car to
arrive with Liz Truss, waiting for her to speak so I might have to interrupt to when that happens. But in terms of the cabinet, she will have
to try and also stitch her party together. How is she going to do that?
BURT: She will indeed firstly, she must avoid the problem that Boris Johnson gave himself. Boris Johnson was so determined not to see the
problems of Theresa May on the Brexit debate being repeated although he'd been part of that problem.
He made sure that his cabinet was full of people who were prepared to accept without question, whatever deal he came to, with the European Union
for leaving the European Union.
So it tended to be a cabinet which was set by commentators to be a bit light in some areas, because it was really all about loyalty to Brexit and
him rather than anything else. I don't think Liz Truss will make that same mistake.
She does have broader opportunities in repairing that will be something that will be noted by the bulk of the party. She's got to convince a lot of
MPs, she didn't get the majority support from MPs so she has to do that.
[11:40:00]
BURT: But one thing about the cabinet that I think is of international note, it seems almost certain that for the first time in British history
all of the major offices of state Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, they will all be held by people
who are not white males, it is the first time in the history of Britain that we have such a diverse cabinet.
And bearing in mind this has come from a conservative party. It's really an extraordinary mark in the diversity of the United Kingdom and our political
system and its ability to absorb this.
SOARES: Yes, very good point. I think some of the names have been thrown around. Of course, we don't know the details. Kwasi kwarteng who is one of
our closest ally that's supposed to be chancellor, this is what we're hearing as well.
Suella Braverman perhaps, Home Secretary, this is all speculation to stage by the way, as well as James Cleverly, Foreign Secretary.
Like you said no white men in kind of - James Cleverly - in really in the big four roles, but they're all in many ways that they're all loyalist --.
So we'll keep an eye on what comes out.
BURT Yes.
SOARES: Really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Alistair Burt, former Conservative Party MP, appreciate it. Of course we're keeping
an eye on her motorcade as it starts to approach central of London and makes its way to 10 Downing Street. As soon as that arrives, we'll bring
that to you. You are watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone, a busy day here outside houses of parliament are busy doing British politics, and historic day I think it's
fair to say because we're keeping a close eye on the motorcade of Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister to making her way to 10 Downing Street.
You can't see it there, you have to - it was just under those three days, you can see exactly. She's making your way to 10 Downing Street. She should
be there shortly, in fact, and of course, it will be the first time that the Prime Minister will be really addressing the country.
And she will really what she says will set the tone for her premiership. She has arrived in the last hour or so from Balmorals in Scotland where she
met with the queen.
Normally that happens here in London but the Queen has mobility issues so Liz Truss as well as the outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, both
traveling to Balmorals for that handover of power.
I'm joined now by Bianca here with me as well as --Catherine to talk us through really what we can expect as we're keeping an eye on that motorcade
apologies to you all if I have to button and then have to interrupt as we wait for Liz Truss.
Bianca to you first, you know those first few words her speech when we heard from her. What was it yesterday? I think it was yesterday, I have
lost--
NOBILO: Yes, yesterday--
SOARES: I know. Her speech was quite short and I think I was expecting so much more meat in that speech. What do you think she needs to hit on right
here when we speak here from what 10 minutes or so?
[11:45:00]
NOBILO: Well, firstly, most commentators did think that speech was quite lackluster, it was considered to be certain more or less that Liz Truss was
going to be victorious yesterday. So she's had time to think about what she was going to say.
And it felt quite flat and lines didn't land. The applause was slightly awkward. So we'd be hoping her supporters certainly would for a recovery
from that today. What she needs to do is be more specific about what she's promising the nation.
She also needs to outline areas with which no matter what your priorities are, whether you're somebody that's nearly struggling to make ends meet or
falling into debt, or you're a true blue conservative who she's just won over, that they can get behind, that's particularly difficult, especially
if you're a weaker communicator.
So we're looking for that. And the key thing about this speech, which we'll see is this is this, these are the moments that the Prime Minister is
measured against. So throughout her premiership, and when it's over, they'll look back to this moment right here. What she said, what she
promised, and that will be--
SOARES: What she deliver.
NOBILO: How they measure her.
SOARES: And of course, as you can see, in the left side of your screen.--, the umbrellas are out, it has started raining a bit gloomy for matching
really the economic forecasts that we have been hearing about Catherine.
And really the mounting amount of work the work she has ahead of her is huge, she's really has to hit the ground running here.
HADDON: Yes, and that's one of the interesting things about this speech. She is literally driving from the airport having been, you know, on a plane
been to see the Queen, quite a big round trip that she's gone through here, the rain coming heavier, the speech may change where it's being located
very shortly.
But she literally gets out of the car has to walk up to the podium and then give a speech. And it's only after that, that she goes into number 10, for
the first time as prime minister is greeted by the cabinet secretary and waiting aides clapped into the building and actually head straight into her
first meetings to go and get on with the job.
So she'll be focused on that as much as delivering the speech. And I mean, we talked about the one yesterday, yes, she knew it was coming. But at the
same time, it's that moment where you're like, I am going to be Prime Minister, and you don't know how much she sort of struggled with the
moments.
It'd be interesting to see now, whether she's different, you know, this is very much a speech for the cameras, for the people at home. So will there
be a slightly different approach.
NOBILO: And when I've spoken to people that have worked with her in the past, they say that she often appeals to those directly in front of her
that she plays to the gallery. So up until this point, the intended audience has been the--
SOARES: The Conservative Party.
NOBILO: The Conservative Party membership, so more of the right wing on the political spectrum. Whereas now for the first time, her objective is to win
over the public at large and make promises and outline an agenda which is going to reassure the populous. So it'll be very interesting to see how she
also has her tone and messaging, if indeed she does.
SOARES: And of course, we're keeping an eye on that motorcade the heavens have opened, you can see everyone out on their brollies there. We saw the
podium there, I believe it might still be there with the rain continues, who knows whether she'll be speaking outside or, or inside.
Bianca, in terms of you know, what we are waiting to hear from her, that package and matter of measures. This is something that I've been hearing
was when I traveled the country to try and get a sense of really the cost of living crisis.
People are really trying to choose to decide whether it's the - do they hate their homes, it's a real concern for so many people, as well as small
businesses and medium businesses up and down the country. So for them, they will want to hear what plan you have to take us out of this crippling
energy crisis.
NOBILO: And it is unlikely that we'll hear that today. Those people will be disappointed, in all likelihood, because she said that by the end of the
week, or the first week as prime minister, she will announce her plan, her package to try and protect people from those soaring energy bills from
falling into debt from having to choose whether or not to heat or to eat.
So I doubt we'll get many specifics on that, she hasn't even appointed a chancellor formally. So she'll need to get that team together and meet you
there on board.
SOARES: But the optimism perhaps, she will strike that optimism that you know, I can what she said yesterday, I would deliver, deliver, and deliver.
There's that you think that is enough right now?
HADDON: I think this is the key thing that we're waiting to see is there a sound bite a clip that you know something to this speech that means that
this says I'm Liz trust, this is me as prime minister, we're not going to see that detail.
It'd be a five minute speech, something like that. It's probably going to be in Parliament tomorrow that we start to see the detail of what the
package actually is. But this is the key test for her, you know, what kind of message is she saying. What kind of, you know, language does she use?
What's her tone?
SOARES: You know how does she want to portray herself as Prime Minister, does she managed to dash insights before? There are quite a lot she has to
do it outside of course. If you're just joining us, let me bring you up to date with what you're seeing on your screen.
[11:50:00]
SOARES: That is the motorcade of the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss becomes the 56th Prime Minister making her way to 10 Downing Street to
begin the task at hand not much time for the honeymoon period for this Prime Minister.
Because as you'll be hearing from Bianca and from Catherine here to share with me that the task is huge, should their in-tray is bulging and she has
a lot of work at hand.
But as you can see, members of her party are right there outside in Downing Street outside 10, 11 Downing Street waiting to hear from her with brollies
in hand, because as you can probably hear, from where we are, the heavens have open.
So you know, will this change, whether we hear from her straight away whether she speaks inside, whether she makes his speech shorter with a
brollies, very, very, we'll keep an eye on that as well as on that motorcade.
But, you know, Bianca, you and I were talking earlier about reuniting not just the party, but also many people might not know her very well. I mean,
yes, know her, as from foreign policy about on foreign policy strand, but actually, who issue what kind of person issue strand.
But actually few issue, what kind of person is she, what kind of leader will she be, what kind of prime minister will she be?
NOBILO: It is one of the aspects of this, which is highly unusual. First of all, there is the current unpopularity among the general population, which
she does not enjoy. And there's also the fact that she is less of a known quantity than former prime ministers that we've seen, such as Boris
Johnson, David Cameron, Tony Blair, Theresa May. So this would be her opportunity to begin to introduce herself to the public at large.
SOARES: And sorry to interrupt you Bianca, you can see the podium that was there, about 10 minutes ago, has gone now as you can see. It's not there
anymore, which begs the question whether she will speak straight away, she will put speak perhaps from inside, what do you think?
NOBILO: --of doing the speech inside, so you've got the press conference room, as you know, where a lot of the COVID press conferences is big, you
know, new room that was built specially for that. So I imagine what they'll do is just move--
SOARES: Move that still very different, though.
NOBILO: Undoubtedly, yes. I mean, there's something really symbolic about, you know, get out the car, do the speech rights on the steps of Downing
Street and then walk in through the black door. So yes, it's definitely going to feel very different. But you can't really do in this--
SOARES: You can't completely drench down here.
NOBILO: Yes.
SOARES: I think everyone will be very mindful of the optics of this, as you say unfavorable economic headwinds.
NOBILO: Exactly.
HADDON: Lots of - exactly. But as Catherine quite rightly pointed out, the environment were being tested and - the elements. But inside number 10
Downing Street, it's quite sterile.
There's obviously none of that atmosphere that having your supporters flanking you and applauding, creates and conveys to the public that you
have their support. And it also just drums up a sense of excitement, expectation and occasion for this monumental moment in any politician's
career.
SOARES: And, you know, it's of course, the doom and gloom, something we've been talking about here for last several days, economically, a crippling
energy crisis, the cost of living crisis.
But as you and I were discussing earlier, is that always you can see people are now moving inside. Members of the Conservative Party of 10 Downing
Street actually moving inside, given the weather and like Catherine say, perhaps what we'll see is Prime Minister Liz Truss now addressing the
country from inside 10 Downing Street, given of course, that the heavens have opened, and it looks like it will continue for some time.
So we're going to have a contingency plan on the inside. And as Catherine was saying, will feel very different. What we were saying earlier, Bianca
in terms of you know, the expectations are huge.
But this idea that perhaps does that give him more room to deliver this Liz mania that Freddie Gray and I were talking about earlier. What do you
think?
NOBILO: We have to be very cautious about.
SOARES: I'm not so sure, because -
NOBILO: I think that obviously you've both got a point. And I definitely agree that when expectations are low for an incoming prime minister, you
have more opportunity to over deliver, and then it rise in their estimations that is absolutely true. But I think because of the scale of
the challenges that she faces--
SOARES: Exactly, I agree.
NOBILO: She would have to do so much to impress people. But she is not a known quantity. She needs to introduce herself more to the public at large.
So there is an opportunity for her to have a positive bounce.
I don't think it will be huge and it will depend on not just the speech she gets today. But key is what happens tomorrow, Prime Minister's questions
the most daunting task for most prime ministers with more rhetorical skill and experience frankly, than Liz Truss and she's facing Keir Starmer.
He's far more seasoned, a former prosecutor who's going to strike at whether details are vague. And she hasn't had any experience of having to
do that.
SOARES: How would you think she will fare with this Prime Minister's questions tomorrow?
[11:55:00]
HADDON: Yes, that's just the occasional waterfall here. I think that's a really interesting question. My colleagues and I, we've been talking a lot
about the honeymoon period. How long is her honeymoon?
You know, I made a point at one point is it literally sort of Monday lunchtime through 2 p.m. cues on Wednesday. And after that, it's all
downhill. I do think she'll have a little bit longer in terms of sympathy from her party, the situation in which she's arrived, the scale of the
challenge and so forth.
But I think a really important issue, not just an all the presentational stuff and on policy terms and organizing government, she effectively is a
sort of continuation of, of Boris Johnson's government.
And that's not just the way in which he's presented himself. It is also the circumstances throughout Johnson's premiership. We have multiple resets
attempts to sort of, you know, get things going again.
This is the ultimate reset of the Boris Johnson government without Boris Johnson at the helm. So Liz Truss has got a long way to go both in terms of
making it her own governments, but also to sort of reassure people that she's not just going to make the same mistakes that he did.
And I, I think at the moment, PM cues, it's going to be a big test for that because people do put a lot of store buy, even though actually, in the
scheme of things, it's not the most important thing she does as prime minister.
SOARES: We were setting the tone from day one, given all the crises that we have been reporting 10 Downing Street under Boris Johnson. There is
something you and I were talking in the break back 20 minutes ago, the little things that are quirks that our viewers may not know.
NOBILO: Yes.
SOARES: Once she goes inside 10 Downing Street, what are the challenges debate on a practical level?
NOBILO: I mean, well, the first thing is she's moving in today to you know- -
SOARES: Towards camera.
HADDON: Exactly in front of everyone, you know, and there are huge challenges of Tony Blair, when they moved in 1997. You know, there's not a
lot of catering there. Anyone who's been around here knows there's not a huge amount of opportunities of places to go.
Things have changed since then, and Alastair Campbell talked about trying to get --in the security services, getting hold of them and blowing them
up. But I think, you know, she's got Uber, she can use Uber Eats, she can use other apps that are available, and there will be things.
But it's things like that it's not your own home that you're going to in the evening, you've got to actually be able to feed yourself, your family,
possibly even your team because they're going to be working very late tonight.
So it's a quite extraordinary sort of situation. There's always a lot of criticism about the way the British do it. You know, is it a bit on the
cheap, should we not be employing a few more staffs and support the sort of, you know, head of our governments in what they're doing.
But it's quite a shock to the system actually moving in there for the first time and, you know, taking on all of these responsibilities at the same
time.
SOARES: And there's, you and I are talking, we're seeing that motorcade ever so closer to 10 Downing Street. Of course, the podium as we showed you
earlier outside 10 Downing Street that has been moved, because it's been raining quite strongly here in London.
Expectations are now that perhaps, the new Prime Minister Liz Truss may actually address the country from inside 10 Downing Street. Bianca, what do
you think this moment means for Liz Truss?
NOBILO: She's a hugely ambitious individual, for any politician inside that building behind us, assuming the office of Prime Minister is as good as it
gets. But it also comes with the greatest amount of responsibility.
We've all seen how Prime Minister's age about 10 years per year when they're in office. And I'm sure this will be no different because of the
challenges that she faces.
And also, you both touched on this, the dichotomies that she has to navigate, she has to, on the one hand, present a fresh start, but to some
within the party, a sense of continuity.
We saw that from the people that are lined up as her supporters, and those who were supporting Boris Johnson this morning, there are familiar faces.
So there's that through line.
There's also the need to support the country when they're really struggling economically, but then to stay true to her conservative small state tax cut
principles.
There are so many things where the promises are not just different, but they're almost diametrically opposed. So it's going to take very adept
political navigation to be able to succeed at this.
SOARES: And I'm hearing that they put the podium back outside. So it was one of those days. In British weather, of course, there might be sunny in a
moment, it might be 30 degrees, who knows.
But it's a sign that Liz Truss, I spoke to - that Liz Truss will be addressing the country from the podium from outside 10 Downing Street. But
on that dichotomy, Let me just, you know, the poll we saw today, what would you say 60 percent or so people wanted to see the new prime minister call a
general election worth pointing out that this poll was done before she was appointed, of course, as Prime Minister before she was even named as the
leader of the Conservative Party. What do you think of that or that polling?
NOBILO: I mean, the thing is that a lot of that is focused on the fact we've just had a leadership campaign in which we've had awful lot of
watching of this leadership campaign with most of the country having no participation whatsoever in the actual voting for it. So in that sense it's
a massive frustration. I think she is going to - any time soon.
SOARES: Yes, we're keeping an eye on that. So, yes of course there is going to be that focus from people having watched it. But to be honest minds
would quickly move on from the leadership campaign itself and everything that went on there. And it will soon be about just the nature of
government. And that is going to be criticism to the conservative party. Criticism to - she will get like I said. A little bit of time to try and
prove herself but not a lot.
[12:00:00]
END
