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Johnson's Conservatives Win United Kingdom General Election; SNP Gains Revive Push For Scottish Independence; House Panel To Vote On Impeachment Articles Friday; U.S.-China Trade War; Trump Signs Off On Phase One Of Trade Deal; New Zealand Volcano Death Toll Rises To 15 As Bodies Are Recovered. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired December 13, 2019 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: The U.K. is waking up right now to a historic milestone. It is long and colorful history. British voters have delivered a resounding mandate to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to divorce the U.K. from the European Union in just seven weeks from now.
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a short time ago the Prime Minister spoke about this stunning comeback. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: I have a message to all of those who voted for us yesterday, especially those who voted for us Conservatives, one that they should (inaudible) for the first time. You may only have lent us your vote. You may not think of yourself as a natural tory. And as I -- I think I said this 11 years ago to the people of London. When I was elected in what we thought of as a Labour City.
Your hand may have quiver over the ballot paper as before you put your cross in the conservative box. And you may then return to Labour next time around. And that if that is the case. I am humbled, that you have put your trust in me and that you have put your trust in us. And I, and we, will never take your support for granted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, constituency across the country help pushed the Conservative Party well above the three to six seats threshold needed for an absolute majority. It was the conservative's best showing since Margaret (inaudible) reelection in 1987.
AMANPOUR: And all of the ballots have now been counted. Here is how the new parliament will look.
SOARES: The numbers. There they are.
AMANPOUR: There you go. Look at that. Conservatives 363. Labour 203. That is a phenomenally bad showing historically for Labour which is the main opposition party, obviously. The Scottish National Party at 48 seats, which is very good. Lib Dems, Liberal Democrats, some thought they might play a kingmaker. It was not to be, they had only have 11 seats. And their leader has lost her seat. And she has stepped down. And other parties like that other, have more than the Lib Dems, 23 seats.
SOARES: CNN's London correspondent, Max Foster is standing by outside Number 10 Downing Street. And Max, the last 20 - 30 minutes we saw the Prime Minister walking in to number 10 after giving a really euphoric speech. A celebrity speech. Where he said will get Brexit done by January 31st. No it's. No but.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: And that was his message throughout the campaign. He was fully endorsed by this big majority that we have seen come in for him. So, Brexit is going to get done. The remain, the debate over remains versus leave is pretty much over. He is in power to do that. He will go ahead and introduce that as a bill to parliament. Next week presumably. And will be out, or there will be a deal struck at least by the end of January.
And then you go into this negotiation on a trade deal with the European Union. But that debate is over, which is extraordinary, and a big moment for Britain and Europe. And it's trading partners around the world. Even President Trump talking about a new trade deal now being possible with United States, has seismic affects around the world.
But Boris Johnson interesting though, he is not just focusing on that, he is talking about one nation conservatism. That is the mainstream, the middle ground of politics, so he is no longer going to be seen in his eyes as someone on the right wing pushing for Brexit, he is a centrist. And he is going to try and rebuild that ground. It is a big moment in British politics and international economy arguably, Isa, to be frank.
SOARES: Indeed. You know, it is 8:00 here in London, Europe, your international community. Europe is waking up as well and reacting to the U.K. election. Max, thank you very much. We have heard from U.S. President Donald Trump. This is what he tweeted. Looking like a big win for Boris in the U.K.
AMANPOUR: Yes. Some say that Boris is Britain's Trump. We will see how it goes. The E.U. was looking closely at the election of course, for some clarity on Brexit. They have been mired in this British domestic political drama for the past more than three years. And the president of the European council seems anxious to now get on with the job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES MICHAEL, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: You know, that we are ready. We are ready for the next steps. We will see if it is possible for the British parliament to accept the withdrawal agreement and to take a decision. And if that is the case, we are ready for the next steps.
(END VIDEO CLIP) AMANPOUR: And the next steps are going to be the very, very, very
difficult steps. So let us head to Brussels, we're E.U. leaders are gathering for a summit. And our Melissa Bell is there. Melissa.
[03:05:07]
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christiana, those leaders have just been arriving. And the European council meeting -- they are in the European Council building. And I think it's important to remember that the European administration that is welcoming there. You just heard from Charles Michel -- the new president of the E.U. Council -- this is an entirely new administration as welcoming to Brussels for their first ever summit today.
And so that began yesterday. It is for them extremely important. It was a priority that Brexit should not take up so much time of the ones coming into office this times as of the outgoing European administration. There is clearly a great sense of relief. In the last few minutes, Charles Michel making his way down that red carpet to the European council building.
Once again, expressed that sense of relief. Congratulating the British Prime Minister and talking about the fact that the Europeans now expected that withdrawal deal should get through the British parliament and fairly quickly. What they want clearly is to move on to the next step and all of this. The one word, is no longer the arch Brexiteers that are in charge of the British agenda. It is no longer posturing from the British with regard to the Europeans, in this negotiations.
But rather, now that Brexit looks set to be done by the 31st of January. There is no reason why it shouldn't at this stage. That everyone can move on with constructive conversations and discussions about the future nature of that trade deal. And more broadly the future relationship post-divorce of the United Kingdom to the European Union. Christiana, and Isa.
AMANPOUR: Melissa, obviously there is huge euphoria all over the place on a back of such a major win, but for a reality checks on actually what is the next step. Let us bring in the former British cabinet secretary, Gus O'Donnell. Welcome to the program. You have been on many times over the last three years trying to explain to our audience what all this is about. Is it the case that this easy majority or this convincing majority is going to make, you know, Britain's trading deal, Britain sort of future now easy to negotiate with the E.U. and with the rest of the world?
GUS O'DONNELL, FORMER BRITISH CABINET SECRETARY: Short answer is no. I mean, in the short term we will work over there in parliament to get the withdrawal bill through, but that is the end of the beginning.
AMANPOUR: Withdrawal? Just to be clear. Is the divorce bill. Correct?
O'DONNELL: It is the divorce bill that tackles the money, the citizenship and the Northern Island-ish. After that, when we left on January 31st, we only have a few months to sort up a whole of the U.K.-E.U. trading relations.
AMANPOUR: It is 11 months.
O'DONNELL: It is 11 months and actually by July we need to ask for an extra year to manage that transition period. Now, in the manifesto the conservatives said they will not do that. Boris is very flexible about these things, I think. So, he's got a big majority now. The difference is he, has a lot of power. While we are at peak Johnson power, he can -- he's talking about one nation conservative. I think he will move to a slightly softer kind of Brexit. The hard-liners don't dominated his position anymore. The DUP has done badly in this election.
AMANPOUR: Says the Northern Islander Unionist?
O'DONNELL: Exactly. So, he has the ability to shape a possibly more business friendly U.K.-E.U. trade relationship and I think he might want to take that opportunity.
AMANPOUR: We saw the pound soar on the news of the Conservative majority just, you know, as soon as the polls closed last night. I do think it is interesting, because you called Boris Johnson flexible. Others would say he is an opportunist. And he will do whatever is good for him. And you just said that he has moved more to the center in his maiden speech just now. And that you say is good. He threw the DUP, his Northern Island allies under the bus in order to get the withdrawal deal with Europe. Who else might he throw under the bus?
O'DONNELL: Well, I think his commitment to not have a transition period beyond. So the possibility of leaving with no deal. I do not think he will carry that through. So, I think we are safe there. There will be some kind of a deal. We definitely will leave now. I think that is why the markets are happier. And I think we are in a world where the U.K. can start thinking about all of the other things that match for our economy -- there's reasons why people voted for Brexit. With the inequalities, globalization, and technology, not working as well for everybody.
He can tackle that. And indeed he has to now. Because he has M.P.'s from traditional Labour areas who are suffering from public services, poor education. Worries about the NHS and health service. So, it pays him -- and basically Boris Johnson is an amazingly good salesman and he will want to stay as Prime Minister. He has got five years now under our fixed-term parliament's act. He can make big changes. And I think he will. But I think he will do it in a spirit of one nation conservative.
SOARES: The withdrawal agreement was very much releasing the shackles -- that's pretty a tick -- we expect that to be smooth sailing. But, as we all know, a trade agreement can take years.
[03:10:06]
O'DONNELL: Absolutely.
SOARES: Absolute years. So, how much does he give? O'DONNELL: I mean, he will give a bit. I mean he is not under the
command of the (inaudible) which is the ultra-right hardline Brexiteers. So, he can give a bit more. He can get business on his side. He can find a way through bringing a nation together. And a lot of his M.P.'s who represent places who have been Labour for decades will be wanting him to do that. Would be wanting him to come up with something which is employment friendly, which does create a deal, which allows us to get on with -- to give out deals with countries like the U.S., which will again take a lot longer than people think.
AMANPOUR: And in the meantime. Someone said it will -- Brino-Brexit in name only.
O'DONNELL: Well, I mean, for a while, we will live with the Brexit regulations and the single markets into the transition. But we will in the end have left a part of the problem for him will be, there will be things that they do now, once we have left around the table which we will not like.
AMANPOUR: And I think that is really key. And people haven't computed that yet.
O'DONNELL: No. And he will also going to have real problem with Scotland and Northern Ireland.
AMANPOUR: And we haven't even talked about that. We will talk about that in our next opportunity. Thank you so much. So just how people reacting to Boris Johnson's big win here in the U.K. After a break, we will let you know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: If you are just joining us, a very good morning. Christiane Amanpour and I have been following major breaking news here in London. Britain's Conservative Party has won an absolute majority in the general election.
AMANPOUR: Which means that Boris Johnson remains, of course as Prime Minister, but with a mandate from the people now. Paving the way for him to be in at number 10, for at least the next five years.
SOARES: It has been a pain -- it has been a hugely painful defeat however for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. He said he will not take the party into the next general election, but he is staying on for now. Reflection he said.
AMANPOUR: Yes. We will see how long that will last. It is a tough night for the leader of the liberal Democrats. Because she actually did lose her seat. And she is obviously having to step down. After less than six months in charge of the party.
So, let's bring in Malcolm Rifkind, a former British secretary and former defense secretary and Member of Parliament and chair of the intelligence committee. So, you have seen and being in the heart of the whole gamut that that is at the center of national security and Britain's place in the world. So, let's just start by asking, what is Britain going to look like out of the E.U.?
[03:15:00]
Can you bet on whether Boris Johnson would do the withdrawal deal by the 31st or before the 31st?
MALCOLM RIFKIND, FORMER BRITISH SECRETARY, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND CHAIR OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: The single most important part, but I want to make an answer to your question is that, for the last three years this country has been totally obsessed and divided -- deeply divided on the whole Brexit issue. Which is not only had been serious in terms of Brexit, it has also prevented us in making the fullest contribution we should have been making to wider issues of foreign policy.
AMANPOUR: Right.
RIFKIND: Now that is now behind us. I can say that with total confidence. For this reason, Brexit, had now the government has a mandate and a majority to implement our peaceful withdrawal from the European Union with a deal which Boris Johnson is able to negotiate. That will now happen before January of 31st. There is nothing that can stop that actually happen.
Now, there are still long-term pre-negotiations of things of those kinds. But the political temperature will now dramatically evolve. You know, the British public aren't going to be obsessed about the size of (inaudible), or agricultural tariffs or things of that kind. Important as they are. It is not the separate of politics. In terms of why the foreign policy. We are still remembering that people sometimes like to try and compare Boris Johnson with Donald Trump.
Now, apart from both being blond bombshells. They then actually have that much in common. If you take for example on the major international issues, climate change, free trade as opposed to tariffs, the Iran nuclear deal. Middle Eastern policies. Boris Johnson has the same views as president Macron and Angela Merkel.
AMANPOUR: So, what about the United Kingdom? We have seen very, very good results overnight for the nationalist in Scotland and so-called nationalist or Republicans in Northern Ireland. In fact for the first time it appears that the (inaudible), STOP, the nationalist parties in Northern Ireland have more seats than the unionists. The DUP, who are famously, you know, the hard-liner allies of Theresa May. Does this mean, as many feared, that you could see the dissolution of the United Kingdom in a not too distant future?
RIFKIND: Nothing is impossible. But you are certainly right on the Northern Ireland. In fact you mentioned, Northern Island --
AMANPOUR: Please.
RIFKIND: -- first of all, on the Northern Ireland situation. It has to be significant that for the first time ever, the nationalist have more in peace, and also they don't take their seats in the House of Commons. AMANPOUR: but they might now.
RIFKIND: but -- well, no, they won't. I think that is inconceivable given the history of that particular issue. But that does not matter. It demonstrates the demographic changes that are taking in all places in Northern Ireland. It does not mean, Northern Ireland are going to rejoin the rest of Ireland politically for the next five years. But if you are thinking in terms of the next 20 years, anything is possible. If I can turn to Scotland --
AMANPOUR: That is a huge thing you have said, by the way. Can we just take note of that? That Northern Ireland could reunify with the republic.
RIFKIND: Well, I'm not predicting that. I'm simply saying that it has much to the demographics. The population is changing, obviously the views.
AMANPOUR: And the politics.
RIFKIND: But also, when we last had our referendum in Northern Ireland on whether they wanted to join the union, many Catholics in Northern Ireland voted to see part of the United Kingdom -- not so much for political reason, but for social reason. At that time, the Republic (inaudible) had no abortion, no gay rights, the church was very strong.
AMANPOUR: And they were in the E.U.
RIFKIND: And they were the E.U. None of these factors now apply. In Southern Ireland, it is now more progressive if you sued that word, than Northern Ireland. So, that is going to have an impact as well.
SOARES: On that point, you are about to start talking about the SNP. Could that prove a challenge for Boris Johnson?
RIFKIND: It is a challenge. But let me try to get this in perspective. I am a Scottish background. I was a Secretary of State for Scotland in (inaudible) cabinet, so, Scotland's is my home territory. I understand part of the world pretty well.
What happened last night was a very good result for SNP. No question about it. Many had expect some Labour, but also the conservatives who lost five or six seats as well. You have to put on one side for the moment, our electoral system. And look at the actual popular vote. I'm surprised I understand that the SNP a 46 percent over popular vote. Which is very good. But that means more than half of Scotland (inaudible).
And 64 percent, and that is almost exactly the same percentage that rejected the Scottish independence when they had the referendum in 2014. The nationals lost by 55-45 percent. So, there is no evidence that attitudes on independence in Scotland have materially changed over these last three or four years.
And in fact, if you did have another independence referendum, which I find a possible. The questions is when it might happen. The nationalist have far more difficult problem than before. Because, whether they like it or not, the whole of the United Kingdom will have left the European Union. If Scotland also decides to break away from the United Kingdom, then it's neither in the E.U. or the U.K. It is simply a lonely place to be if you are in a country of 5 million people. Now, they said they would apply to join the E.U. Guess what would happen if they succeeded? You would have something called an English backstop. The Scottish English border. This is exactly the problem we've had with Northern Ireland.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
[03:20:03]
RIFKIND: And 75 percent of Scottish trade is with England and the rest of the U.K. So, the argument that the SNP now have to put. Once we have left the E.U. is actually going to be much more difficult than it was in 2014. And they lost then, and (inaudible) has now disappeared as a political benefit.
AMANPOUR: Such important context. Malcom Rifkin, thank you very much. I appreciate you. It's definitely bold and that is for sure. CNN Nina Dos Santos live in the Conservative Party headquarters. Nina, we heard from Boris Johnson, very optimistic in the celebratory fashion today. Promising Brexit will be done by the 31st. Your thoughts?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, so he gave a speech about an hour or so ago, you say here, the Queen Elizabeth Center, just down the street from the Conservative Party headquarters. And really, there are a couple messages from -- that if anybody thinks that there is a chance to reverse Brexit, now is the time to just cast aside those kind of illusions -- he is going to focusing at single-mindedly on trying to deliver Brexit by the 31st of January of this year. Perhaps even sooner. So, the question is, does that mean a new queen speech. Does that mean getting that withdrawal agreement bill through the House of Commons as soon as possible? When will that actually be?
And then the other thing that he wanted to do was also thank the people who had voted conservative in some of the Labour heartland in the northeast of the U.K. also the northwest for generations haven't voted Labour -- so, haven't voted conservative, excuse me. And he said, I also want to be the Prime Minister for you. Now that means that the Conservative Party is now a very different party with a very different demographic than it was during the years and day of Cameron and also Theresa May, just a couple of years ago.
And that will set the course for the new Conservative Party agenda. We are going to probably have a cabinet reshuffle. Well, it might be able minor cabinet reshuffle that we might have seen in previous years gone by, because we know that when Boris Johnson sit with keys in Number 10 Downing Street -- he brought in a lot of people, very like-minded views to him on getting Brexit done to then focus on other things inside the United Kingdom. Like rehiring all the police officers who have been lost during the years of Conservative Party or (inaudible) early on in this decade. And also focusing on more spending on education and also things like the National Health Service. Now the National Health Service will be of course continues to be a
bone of contention in the electorate's minds. Because of course the real question is whether or not it will eventually end up being part of the U.S.-U.K. trade deal that the U.K. will need so badly after it is left the E.U.
In the meantime, speaking the sort of post Brexit landscape, Christiane and Isa, it is interesting, because among the big leaders to start congratulating Boris Johnson's straightaway. Of course you have had all of those who are going to be looking to strike trade deals with him. This country will certainly be looking to strike trade deals with him. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, we've also had leaders of Australia and other countries as well lining up to congratulate Boris Johnson because of course, he doesn't just have won the election, he has won with a big majority, which means when it comes to any of those three trade deals, when it comes to Brexit, he has a much stronger negotiating handle on the table. Back to you.
AMANPOUR: Nina it is fascinating because to be frank, and we have not really delved into it a lot. The entire shape of this United Kingdom has changed politically. And we won't really see it until we see them all, come and take their seats in the building behind us next week.
And a huge block of conservatives, which now represent so much of this country. What does a one nation tory government look like? That is for later. The economic aftershocks of the U.K. election. When we come back. How the markets are reacting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:25:00]
AMANPOUR: Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the election results after Thursday's general election year. Boris Johnson has received exactly what he wanted. And that is a commanding majority in parliament. To quote him, get Brexit done. Voters across the U.K. pushed the number of Conservative seats well beyond the 326 that it needed.
SOARES: It was however a dismal night for the Opposition Party. Labour Party, it's worth sharing in fact in some 80 years. Jeremy Corbyn has already announced that he will step down, although it is not clear when. He said that he will not leave the party in the next general election.
AMANPOUR: Another political casualties is Joe Swinson. She lost her seat, and is stepping down as leader of the liberal Democrats. Swinson had been in that position less than six months.
SOARES: Well, let us take a look at the market and the pounds in particular. Because the minute those polls came out, Christiane, the pound surged on the conservative win. On the fact that we will have some clarity. If we look at sterling if we may. The last time we looked it was rising to one dollar 34 cents. Let's see what is doing now, exactly at that. That is the highest level since May 2018. This tells you really that
investors wanted clarity. For more. CNN business reporter Hadas Gold, joins us now. And Hadas, this is exactly what markets, what investors wanted. They wanted clarity. What was going to happen to U.K. economy in the years to come?
HADAS GOLD, CNN POLITICS, MEDIA AND BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes, this was something that markets wanted. We can see the surge as you know, the highest the pound has been since May of 2018. Also for looking at the stock markets, as trading has just begun in the last 30 or so minutes here in London.
The FTSE 100 is up about 1 percent. The more domestically focused FTSE 250's up even more about 4 percent higher. Now, we have known for a while that the markets would have preferred a conservative government. It is kind of ironic though if you think about it, because the Labour position on Brexit are likely Labour Brexit deal. It would had been a softer Brexit possibly which actually what businesses wants.
But there is this great fear of Jeremy Corbyn as a leader, and especially the Labour Policies, like higher taxes, nationalizing numerous industries. They had a proposal on broadband, we have seen the B.T. stock shoot up this morning as well, diluting's existing shareholders stakes, like giving shares to employees. That made business nervous.
When I have talk to business leaders over the past year or so, and asking them what makes you more nervous? For example hard Brexit? Or Jeremy Corbyn led Labour government? They hesitated. And so it is clear that the market has reacted to this. However this is not necessarily an all clear, everything is great with sterling now. Because of course we have to get a Brexit deal through parliament.
There is also a question of a future trade deal. So, I think it is positive news now, I think that the market are going to be a little bit cautious. They don't see the green light for the next few years. They are still going to be a little bit nervous about investment. But overall this is good news for the markets and I think global stocks all around.
SOARES: Indeed, like you said it is a sigh of relief for now, but it's not a picture of what might happen in the next year or so. As they try to get that trade deal on a future relationship (inaudible). I'm sure we will see the markets moving much more on that. Hadas Gold, thank you very much. And the U.K. is waking up to a new political era. But Boris Johnson is not the only one who had big night.
AMANPOUR: Yes. The Scottish national Party made some serious gains. Does that mean the Scottish independence will be back on the table? We will talk about that after our break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:30:00]
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our live coverage of the U.K.'s historic election. I'm Christiane Amanpour.
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Isa Soares. And if there was any doubt about public support for Brexit. This election has put it very clearly to rest. The Prime Minister took a big gamble in pulling a snap election that seems had paid off. Boris Johnson Conservatives cruise to an absolute majority in parliament. Brexit is virtually ashore (ph) on January 31st.
AMANPOUR: But the opposition Labour Party, the thrashing of the polls will be analyzed for years. Jeremy Corbyn, the leader, said he will intend to step down at some point. And he won't lead Labour in the next election.
SOARES: It was a momentous day for some of the smaller parties. The Scottish National Party did very well. And the result could lead to a renewed called for Scottish independence. Here is Nicholas (inaudible), reacting to that win of a crucial win by the SNP. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: Wow, I guess every seat matters. This was the person who lost that seat to the SNP. The liberal Democrat leader Joe Swinson. And as we have told you she has stepped down as leader of that party. All around it was not a good day for her. She had only been there six months ago.
Joining us now, we have senior political contributor Robin Oakley. And he's sitting here with us. OK, Robyn. We have seen a bit of a seismic shift in the electoral map, or can I say that again, I mean, a major shift, right? So, we have unbelievably a, let's face it, quite hard right-tory party, let's face it. In the Brexit era. Who will bring up a Labour seats in the most Labour of areas in this country? In the most working class areas of this country?
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: I mean, I think one reason for that is that the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn was the most unpopular opposition leader in the history. Boris Johnson got lucky. He got lucky in that he was facing Jeremy Corbyn as his main opponent. He got lucky and that the Liberal Democrats, who might have been able to pick up a lot of support, if they had gone simply for a second referendum, said instead that they would revoke article 15 and defy the will of the 17 million.
AMANPOUR: It is probably one of the dumbest political statement that has ever been uttered.
OAKLEY: Yes, that was not a god tactic. So, Boris Johnson was lucky on both of those. But at the same time, you have to say, you know, here is a man who is flaws are obvious to many. He has a pretty on off relationship with the truth on occasion.
AMANPOUR: And a trust deficit.
OAKLEY: A trust deficit. When he worked before question time audience, and somebody asked him, is honesty important in politics. And he said, yes. The audience laughed in his face. But, despite that he has been given such a massive (inaudible).
AMANPOUR: Vote of trust and confident.
OAKLEY: He has his own mandate now to do Brexit on the terms he wants. That of course, that may not be quite the terms that the hard- liner right wingers you were talking about supported him for in the first place.
[03:35:00]
AMANPOUR: Or the working class now new constituents that were Labour voters.
OAKLEY: Yes, indeed. And across -- the big question he faces now is having brought them over he said, I'm not going to take your votes for granted. And I'm going to try to keep you. How does he keep them on board? Well, he has to change a lot of policies in terms of investment, public spending, looking after the services in more private areas of the country, if he is going to do that.
I think one thing we ought to know also about Boris Johnson in his appeal, for those looking at this election from outside the country. Immigration policy, big, you know, dog whistle policy that activates a lot people. Even though they don't like to admit it had a big played -- a big part in the original referendum.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
OAKLEY: Britain, under Boris Johnson, is going to have a new three tier immigration policy. You know, if you are a scientist, or an entrepreneur, wanting to put a factory here. What E.U., you know, can walk straight in? People, national health service workers, nurses, doctors, people like that will get straight in as long as they have a job offer. But seasonal workers, you know, some of those who -- people in the north traditional Labour voters worry that their jobs will be taken away by an influx of low paid workers from the European Union. They are sort of the people will only come in in future -- almost sort of quote of arrangement as when needed. And they will get no rights of (inaudible) in the process. It will all be determined by a kind of independent organization, just in the way that the bank of England sets interest rate rather than the government. Boris Johnson says, he will take advice from the independent migration group. As to you know, just who they should start letting him, when Britain has Labour shortages.
AMANPOUR: Which they do, right now. Particularly seasonal workers, because they have been scared, witless about this pretty hardline Brexit debate that's been going on this country.
SOARES: And then do stay with us. I want to go to CNN London's correspondent Max Foster, who is outside Number 10 Downing Street. Max, it was big strong win of course for the Prime Minister, quite a different picture for Jeremy Corbyn that he is saying he is not stepping down, at least not yet.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: It is interesting isn't it? Because he won't stand of next election, that is as far as he goes. He's happy to go despite this disastrous result for the Labour Party. But there will be many centrists within the Labour Party, the ones that are left, the Blair rights as you would like that we are certainly saying it needs to go sooner rather than later.
Jeremy Corbyn, he is a conviction politician, he believes that he has changed the Labour Party. He wants to be involved in the process and reinventing the Labour Party, which is desperately needed now. But whether or not the wider party is willing to accept that, we will have to wait and see. There's a lot of very angry people. Corbyn knights today, who are really frustrated that the way the media treated the Corbyn campaign.
They are blaming the media for the failure of the campaign. And the lot of the trolling online. People on the other side, the Conservatives sides saying, that is just sour grapes and they should be much more graceful. But we will wait to see what will happens with the Labour Party. All the attention really today is obviously on Downing Street.
We expect Boris Johnson to come out later on. He was seen as a buffoon. He was not taken seriously. Today he's going to come out as the statesman with the biggest majority, Isa. You said it already on the show. Since Margaret Thatcher back in 1987. So, this is someone who the whole party is behind. He's got big majority. He's going to push his agenda through. And he is going to make Brexit happen as he promised.
SOARES: yes, a thumping win. Let's see, this got a lot of pressure as Christiane and I have been saying throughout the last few hours to try to deliver, not just on Brexit, Max, but on so much things he has promised up and down the country. Max Foster outside 10 Downing Street, thanks very much. I'm going to take a very small break. We are back after this.
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[03:40:00]
AMANPOUR: We are back now lives. We've got have yet another guest. And this time very distinguish. Sir Nicholas Soames, to try to break down what just happened. You remember, Sir Nicholas, thank you and welcome to the program. But we know you and our international audience knows you as a long time politician. As the grandson of the Great Winston Churchill. And as somebody who Boris Johnson kicked out of the party because you opposed him on the very dramatic hardline no deal that he was considering. What are your thoughts right now?
NICHOLAS SOAMES, FORMER BRITISH MP: What are my thoughts right now is that, Boris is certainly entitled to kick me out of the body, because I found I mostly disagree with him on their deal. It was a very important part of his (inaudible). He withdrew the whip from me. Certainly entitled to do that. I very much regretted it. And he very decently restored the whip before he dissolved parliament. So, I'm still a member of the Conservative Party, although I am no longer a member of the parliament, I stood down. But I think that this is an astonishing triumph. I mean, (inaudible) groundbreaking. There are almost no words that you can find, or that we will find, to describe the scale of what he has achieved.
AMANPOUR: So, can you find the words to describe why you think it has happened?
SOAMES: Well, I think it's happened because, you know, I was in the north quite a lot recently and it is very interesting, you know, people up there they have lots of this Labour seats are to the left economically, obviously. But to them, Jeremy Corbyn represents something completely alien to their culture and their identity. I mean, apart from the anti-Semitism. You know, Boris -- sorry Corbyn's views are sort of pretty much archaic in London. He is such a metropolitan, cosmopolitan, you know, there are lots of people who think he's eager, but up in the north.
AMANPOUR: Not an anti-Semitic views?
SOAMES: No. No.
(CROSSTALK)
AMANPOUR: The economy and other things, yes.
SOAMES: And you know, his ration with the IRA -- I mean, people despised that. And I think they felt their identity to be threatened by what Corbyn was going to do. And I think they see in Boris Johnson someone who was determined clearly to honor the Brexit, thing on that furious Brexit -- those who voted Brexit -- that the government did not honor Brexit.
And I think they saw in him, they got a very acute common sense of British people. Trust the people. (Inaudible) Churchill, my great grandfather once said. Absolutely they came up in spades. They use that common sense. They worked it out for themselves and I think it was brilliant for Boris to be able to articulate, so clearly, exactly what chimed with them.
AMANPOUR: Can we just be perfectly clear? He has had a phenomenal victory. It was a one issue election. And as you rightly point out it was Brexit. But the trust deficit was massive. People didn't trust him. And they said that to the polls on other issues. And they saw him throw his Northern Ireland allies under the bus in order to get this withdrawal deal. He just said Northern Ireland, forget this business about being joined at with us, you can remain there. So, what do you see for the future? Because obviously, you are happy for a party right now. But have you changed your view? Like many grandees that Brexit is a catastrophic act of self-harm, economically?
SOAMES: There was a quite (inaudible), I believe that Britain has made a strategic mistake by voting to leave the European Union. But he just made that decision. It is going to happen. My concern is that the relationship and the following relationship with the European Union should be as close in economics and security terms as it possibly can be. While taking the advantage of being able to strike up this great other global relation. Not that we have been able to do that already is. And I will be very keen to see what sort of enormous wonderful star-spangled deal of the great President Trump will offer and very good in the (inaudible).
(LAUGHTER)
AMANPOUR: You know a little skepticism there.
SOAMES: I will -- it was a soup saw of concern there. But, we've got to get this done. And it's going to be tough and hard and long. I mean, (inaudible), you know, sit right up to Christmas day, practically.
[03:45:10]
I think -- I will tell you what I would do if I was Boris. I would create, a sort of walk (inaudible), which dealt exclusively with Brexit. It would have the eighth or ninth ministers and most closely concern with Brexit. Slowly drive the Brexit policy and have a cabinet which dealt solely with domestic and other issues, in which we can push forward all these tremendous reforms that we have promised. And for what those people also voted in the north. And I don't actually completely agree with you. It is in shorthand, a Brexit election. For a lot of people it was a deciding thing, but for a lot of other people, policy and Corbyn is just --
AMANPOUR: Yes. I agree with. No, I agree with you on that. Clearly that was evident on the doorstep. Quick question though. As we go to a break. How does one reunite? Or does this election show that it has happened? How does one reunite a country that was so polarized over this debate? And what about your party? Is it now just a nationalist party? Or is it a one nation-tory party?
SOAMES: I mean, not even Herald Mick Miller, one of the many seats in the north of Britain. And we've got real problem in Scotland. But Boris has created overnight a proper one nation party from the very north to the very south. And what will heal this country is getting this done and a sensible, rational way, which he now has a majority. He now has flexibility. He can move. And he does not have the great monkey sitting on his shoulders of the constant pressure from the EIG. Who although will remain powerful and express very important views of (inaudible), -- my friends (inaudible) the process of a nonsense.
AMANPOUR: It is clear that the ERG with a very, very hardline, you are skeptics which you have been dictating this policy from the beginning. Sir Nicholas Soames. Thank you so much for joining us.
SOAMES: Thank you. Lovely to see you. Bye-bye.
(CROSSTALK)
SOARES: Thank you. AMANPOUR: I really live to see you too. Thank you so much. So that is
it. We are going to go to a break very shortly and we will be back.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Vause in Atlanta. A lot more on the U.K. election result in a moment. But first some other stories we are following this hour. First to Capitol Hill. Where the House Judiciary Committee had a marathon 14 hour long public hearing on the Trump articles of impeachment. But just after 11 pm, the Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler suddenly adjourned proceedings, accusing Republican of stalling a scheduled a vote later on Friday. Details now from CNN newest congressional correspondent, Phil Mattingly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, NEW YORK BASED CNN CORRESPONDENT: We knew it was going to be a long. We knew it was going to be arduous. And we knew there are going to be a number of Republican amendments. None of which actually had the chance of passing in the majority White House Judiciary Committee -- one thing we didn't know is that the two articles of impeachment introduced by Democrats earlier this week, would not actually get a final committee vote. Would not get committee approval.
They were actually postponed and now that vote will occur on Friday at 10:00 a.m. Now this decision was made after a more than 14 hour hearing. A back and forth. And back and forth, and back and forth. Between Republicans and Democrats. (Inaudible) not arguing about any amendments themselves, but instead many of the same arguments in fact all of the same arguments you've heard repeatedly from both sides.
Democrats making clear they believe President Trump has cross the threshold to be impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Republicans saying repeatedly they do not believe it met that threshold, in fact Republican saying repeatedly they did not believe he did anything wrong despite what they have seen over the course of the last several weeks of hearings and depositions.
[03:50:10]
However, the endgame here pretty much remains the same. On Friday morning at 10:00 a.m., the committee will meet once again to hold the final votes in the committee on those two articles of impeachment. They will both be approved. They will be both be sent to the House floor. Which means next week, the bottom line remains the exact same. The House of Representatives will vote to impeach Donald Trump. They will hold two separate votes on the two different articles. Obstruction of justice, abuse of Congress.
Democrats say already, they are confident they have the votes for those two articles of impeachment. They do expect to lose some of their members. One thing we also know, Republicans will not defect at all. Republicans leaders making very clear -- they have unanimous support in opposition. So we know basically the dynamics. We know where this is going. We are just going to have to wait at least one more day to actually move this over to the House floor. Phil Mattingly, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: After months and months of negotiations debating in Washington has announced of what appears to be a pause in the trade war with President Trump signing off on phase one. This will reportedly delay 15 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, duly will take effect on Sunday. Another existing U.S. tariffs will be reduce as well.
Either turn, China will increase imports to the U.S. farm goods. U.S> stocks surge on the news and DOW closing up more than 220 points -- nearly eight tenths of 1 percent. And in Asia, the markets have also been responding to all of this. We think. (Inaudible). Let's go to David Culver now, he is live in Beijing. David, I thought we have the Asian markets there but we don't, but we have you, which is better. So, actually (inaudible) announce yet by Washington, this pause, this phase one signing. But it seems like this is where we are heading. It is also like a breakthrough. It is kind of a cease fire if you like.
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first, I'll tell you John, over the Asian market close upwards, positive there. U.S. futures likewise looking good. But the reality is there is no celebratory mood here from Chinese officials. And that goes interesting to note s speech from the foreign minister here this morning, and he pointed out that the U.S. in his opinion, has eroded the relationship between China and the U.S. that really blaming them for a lot of the problems over the past several months and really pointing to specifically to this administration.
Now the other reality here is that there is hesitation about this. There is no real sigh of relief that this is a done deal, because quite frankly they have been in this position before. Back in October, if you recall, they had agree on similar circumstances. They had said that the U.S. would potentially stop the hikes and tariffs. And they want the U.S. to roll back some of those tariffs.
For China side, they said that they would buy agricultural products then. Details weren't working out there, there were problems that broke down. It was supposed to be signed by mid-November. Clearly that did not happen. Here we are well into December. And they are saying that, once again, there is this agreement of a deal that is coming into place. We will see where that goes. I think the Chinese officials here are hesitant to say that this is something that they are comfortable as an absolute.
In fact, they are not reliving comments on that. Beyond saying we will see what happens essentially which is likewise what President Trump has said over and over. It is one of his preferred phrases. Going forward, what does it say about a comprehensive deal? Technology, geopolitics, ideology, all of that tied into this, those structural changes, which would be a phase tow or phase three as President Trump has said. Well those seems even further away now given that phase one has taken this long.
There's so many uncertainty surrounding it. But as of now, from the U.S. side it seems like it is going forward. The Chinese side seems like they are cautiously optimistic about this, John. We will see. Well, of course, from here, we will monitor their reaction in the hours to come.
VAUSE: He is on schedule, David. I don't know why. Good to see you. Thank you. Recovery efforts have wrapped for the day in New Zealand after search teams found the bodies of six victims on Monday's volcanic eruption on White Island, bringing the death toll now to 15. The dive team will be deployed over the weekend after another body was seen in the water near the shoreline of the island. One person remains missing and presumed dead. Will Ripley, joins us now live from Whakatane in New Zealand. So, Will, this has obviously been a significant day with recovering these bodies' and they are making progress.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah and they really got creative John with how they pulled this all together. It was a bomb disposal squad, which of course has you know, a specific gear to protect them from high temperatures and explosions. That actually went in and retrieved these bodies. It was a team of eight. They found six of the bodies and as you said they are going to be searching for the remaining two at daybreak here tomorrow.
But they -- certainly risky operation. There were scientist, volcanologist specifically here on the mainland making sure that there was no uptake in activity on White Island during the period of time that they were on the ground there.
[03:55:00]
The sad part of this is that there were family members here in Whakatane and they brought the bodies back. They took a boat to the island and then they flew the bodies out with a helicopter. Family members sat near the coffins, but they did not know who was in which coffin, because the remains are going to be identified. They are in Auckland hospital right now. And that is where the identification process is taking place. Family are now going to have to make their way there.
So imagine sitting in a room with six coffins not knowing if the person you love is in one of them, which one it is, or if they are one of the two that are still missing out there on the island.
VAUSE: Without sounding too gruesome. How difficult and how involved is the identification process? How long does it take?
RIPLEY: Well, when I spoke to the pastor who rescued people who survived, he said it was difficult to tell the age, the ethnicity of some of the people because, you know, they were senior citizen. There were students, but a lot of people had really horrific burns with their skin falling off. So, you can imagine people who were even closer. It is going to be very difficult to look at those bodies, not to mention the fact that they have been sitting out there since Monday.
VAUSE: Very quickly, also clearly -- this is a disaster for New Zealand, it's a disaster for their tourism industry. At one point there were talks of an investigation. A criminal investigation. They took the back and said an investigation into the tour company which ran these types of tourist. Do we know anything more about that in that sense?
RIPLEY: Yes. Police haven't really revisited the issue of a criminal investigation because look, level too is not considered to be an extraordinary risk. And that is what the level of volcano alert was on Monday, just before the eruption. And so they have been conducting tours on White Island for decades. They have gone more than a century without a single fatality.
And so there was no reason to think that this day was going to be any different. Often the eruptions would happen early overnight hours. Now they have to obviously revisit all of that. They have to revisit their safety protocol. Whether they are even allowed tourists to resume on the island. And if so, they have to look at the volcano alert system very closely. Because sometimes John, Mother Nature just plays tricks on you and that seems to be what happens in this case. Every local that I have met here in Whakatane has visited that island many, many times.
VAUSE: There is always a risk. Sometimes it is bigger than you think I guess. Will, thanks for the update. Will Ripley there live from Whakatane in New Zealand.
We will take a short break. That is the end of this show. Another one coming up at the top of the hour with Christiane Amanpour, Isa Soares in London, with all the details of a surprise big win for Boris Johnson and the conservatives in the U.K. general election. I'm John Vause. I will see you next week.
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END
