[Unidentified Female:] They don't want this deal. What deal will work for them?
[Announcer:] This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
[Alisyn Camerota, Cnn Anchor:] All right. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. This morning, two of the world's most important democracies are experiencing political chaos. Here in the U.S., the longest shutdown in American history goes into day 26. And White House economists now believe the shutdown will be twice as bad for the economy as originally projected. As a result, the White House is ordering tens of thousands of federal workers back to work without pay.
[John Avlon, Cnn Anchor:] So a government shutdown here and government turmoil there. In the United Kingdom, they are staring at unprecedented uncertainty. The prime minister, Theresa May, is fighting for her political life a day after suffering the worst parliamentary defeat in decades over her Brexit deal. We have live pictures right now of Parliament. We are waiting to hear from the British prime minister ahead of a no- confidence vote. This will be one those question sessions where she will face withering questions and criticisms from members on both sides there. Joining us now to understand what we will see and what just happened, CNN chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour. Christiane, there are really two big questions here: what just happened and what will happen? The first one is a heck of a lot easier to answer than the second. So just put this in perspective. How big of a political defeat was this for Theresa May?
[Christiane Amanpour, Cnn Chief International Anchor:] It was very, very big for her personally, and it was very, very big for a bill and a deal on the most consequential issue to face Britain in decades and decades. And as you've already said, it was the biggest government defeat in nearly 100 years. But here's the incredible thing. In any other country or any other democracy, if you lost such a massive and consequential vote, you would either be run out of town or you would resign. But in this case, she is not saying she's going to resign. She will not step down. She says she's going to continue. And it is believed that she might and is most likely to win this vote of no confidence. Why? Because her own party and a group of Northern Irish MPs, who give her a majority in Parliament, don't want to see the opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, win an election. So if that holds, she's likely to win. But what will happen next
[Berman:] Yes.
[Amanpour:] is the most important question. We have no idea what's going to happen over Brexit. And that is a big, big deal right now.
[Berman:] Well, when you say no idea what will happen over Brexit, let's listen in. In fact, the British prime minister, Theresa May, beginning to speak right now.
[Theresa May, British Prime Minister:] The whole House will join me in condemning the appalling attack in Nairobi and in sending my thoughts and prayers to all those who have lost loved ones. Our high commissioner has confirmed one British fatality, and we're providing consular assistance to British nationals affected by the attack. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Kenya and will continue to offer our support to meet the challenge, the security and stability that is posed by terrorism in the region. Mr. Speaker, this morning I have meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.
[John Bercow, Speaker Of The House Of Commons:] Charlie Elphicke.
[Charlie Elphicke, Member Of Parliament:] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I join with the prime minister in her strong condemnation of terror? And you will know, Mr. Speaker, and the prime minister will know that I first sought election to this House because I believed in more jobs, lower taxes, a stronger economy, more investment in the public service on which we all rely. And does she agree that, since 2010, Conservative governments have delivered time and again for the British people. And the biggest threat to that has sat on the opposition front bench with a leader whose policies would mean less jobs, higher taxes, a weaker economy, and less investment in our public services?
[May:] My my honorable friend is absolutely right. What have we seen under the Conservatives in government? We've seen 3.4 million more jobs. That's more people earning an income, earning a wage, able to provide for their families. We've seen more children in good and outstanding schools. More money into our national health service. What would put that in danger? A government led by the right honorable gentlemen. More borrowing, more taxes, more spending, fewer jobs.
[Bercow:] Jeremy Corbyn.
[Jeremy Corbyn, Member Of Parliament/leader Of The Labour Party:] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. May I start by connecting the record? Last night, I suggested this was the largest government defeat since the 1920s. I would not wish to be accused of misleading the House. Because I've since been informed that it is, in fact, the largest ever defeat for a government in the history of our democracy.
[Unidentified Male:] Resign.
[Corbyn:] So, Mr. Speaker, shortly after the prime minister made her point of order last night, her spokesperson suggested that government had ruled out any form of customs union with the European Union as part of her reaching-out exercise. Can the prime minister confirm that's the case?
[May:] I say to the right honorable gentleman that the exercise that I indicated last night is, as I said, about listening to the views of the House, about wanting to understand the views of Parliamentarians so that we can identify what could command the support of this House and deliver on the referendum. And what the government wants to do is, first of all, to ensure that we deliver on the result of the referendum. That's leaving the European Union. And we want to do it in a way that ensures we respect the votes of those who voted to leave in that referendum. That means ending free movement. It means getting a fairer deal for farmers and fishermen. It means opening up new opportunities to trade with the rest of the world, and it means keep going ties with our neighbors in Europe.
[Bercow:] Jeremy Corbyn.
[Corbyn:] Mrs. Speaker, my question was about the customs union. The prime minister seems to be in denial about that, just as much as she's in denial about the decision made by the House last night. I understand the business secretary told business leaders on a conference call last night, we can't have no deal for all the reasons you've set out. Can the prime minister now reassure the House, businesses and the country and confirm that is, indeed, the government's position, that we can't have no deal?
[May:] I think the point that the business secretary is making and that he has made previously is that, if you don't want to have no deal, you have to ensure that you have a deal. Now, I will give this I will give this to I will I will say this to the right honorable gentleman. There are actually two ways of avoiding no deal. The first is to agree a deal. And the second would be to revoke Article 50. Now that would mean staying in the European Union, failing to respect the result of the referendum, and that is and that is something that this government will not do.
[Bercow:] Jeremy Corbyn.
[Corbyn:] The prime minister has
[Berman:] You've been watching the British Parliament right now. British Prime Minister Theresa May facing a vote of no confidence in a little bit. What we just saw there, support from Conservatives, which Christiane Amanpour was noting she likely will not be voted out today. Her government will not fall. But the bigger question: what happens with Brexit? And the two polar sides are no deal no deal to exit the European Union or perhaps another referendum. But we don't know which way it's going to go, Christiane.
[Amanpour:] We don't. As you heard, she kept saying there, "My deal or the highway." Basically, this is the best deal. And I've just spoken to the vice chairman of the European Commission, and he says, "We are not reopening this negotiation. So don't look at us from London and hope that we're going to save you in this regard." He said it's up to the British people to decide what they want. So what a no-deal means, it's a default option. If there is no actual deal voted on, Britain will crash out with a cliff edge, as they call it, just fall off the cliff with nothing in place. I mean, there are some things in place to keep planes flying and the like. However, in all the big issues, there will no deal. And so we it really is uncharted territory. We don't know. And the Bank of England and other economists have said that will significantly hurt the economy. So I guess the best way to put it is you can see what's happening in the United States over the wall and the shutdown and the political game of chicken there. Well, here it's over a different kind of wall, as somebody said earlier today. It's the English Channel, the wall that separates, the watery wall, Europe from Great Britain. And there's a political game of chicken happening here, as well. And this is what's got to be unlocked if there's going to be a sensible future that's more rational than just crashing out with no clear plan for the future.
[Berman:] One of the things I've been wondering: who is watching this, this uncertainty in the United Kingdom, and I do like the comparison between what's happening in the United States, as well? But who's watching this and smiling? Who exactly is this good for right now? And I think the answer is Vladimir Putin.
[Amanpour:] Well, perhaps outside you're right. He's and anything that can destroy the institutions of democracy, absolutely. But inside, it's members of her own party, the hardliners, who already took a gamble and took their own leadership vote of no confidence and lost; and they're still acting as if they won. They're running around saying, "We're not going to do this. We're not going to do that. We're going to crash out without no a deal, and we're just going to be fine." And that, you can see, is who she is still trying to appease. She doesn't get that she won that vote. She's still trying to appease her very hardline vote. And she keeps talking about democratic rights, but only of the small majority that voted for Brexit. And I think that's what's beginning to rattle the country.
[Berman:] Very interesting to see a good day for people who like drama, a bad day for people who want answers. Christiane Amanpour, thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate it Alisyn.
[Amanpour:] Thank you, John.
[Camerota:] John, back here at home, no solution yet for the government shutdown. The White House now conceding it is having damage, more than expected, in fact, on the economy. We explore that.