[Sciutto:] Breaking news this hour. Queen Elizabeth has approved British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's request to suspend parliament. Meanwhile, many throughout the United Kingdom are shocked and outraged. They say the suspension will shorten time officials have to attempt to block a no-deal Brexit. I want to get to CNN Correspondent Anna Stewart. She's outside 10 Downing Street, as well as CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson. He's outside parliament. Anna, if I could begin with you. Does the Prime Minister's Office have any other explanation for this unusual call to shorten debate on Brexit? What are they offering as justification here?
[Anna Stewart, Cnn Correspondent:] Jim, they say they didn't because they actually say that Brexit is not the driving force behind this decision. It's a new prime minister. And as is fairly usual, he wants to set out a new session of parliament to introduce his domestic policy and legislation. It's sort of, don't look here, it's nothing to do with Brexit. Of course, that is not how it's being seen by rebel MPs within his party, within the opposition parties. They see this absolutely as a way to remove valuable time for lawmakers to try and prevent a no-deal Brexit. And they are returning to parliament next week. Now, since her Majesty the Queen has agreed and she will be suspending parliament, that means they have much less time, not only potentially to debate any new Brexit deal before that end of October deadline, but to try and frustrate the whole process and prevent a no-deal Brexit. Today, opposition members, we got party members from within the conservative party all saying things like, it's a coup, it's an outrage, it's undemocratic. This is a prime minister who has not been elected, suspending parliament and removing their power to fully debate Brexit. Now, these lawmakers are now consulting on law or parliamentary technicalities to see if they can still frustrate this process. And they will return next Tuesday. And you can expect plenty of fireworks on their return. Jim?
[Sciutto:] Nic, has a practical matter, does this make Britain's exit from the E.U. without a deal by this October deadline, does it make it more likely?
[Nic Robertson, Cnn International Diplomatic Editor:] It does. It strengthened Boris' hands convincing the European Union, who he's negotiating with, that he will do this because there is less likelihood to be stopped. With Theresa May, the previous prime minister, they knew there was a likelihood that it could be stopped and blocked. Now, that seems to be removed or greatly reduced. That said, perhaps given this tougher position, although they haven't shown the willingness to do it right now, Boris Johnson, maybe his gamble is right, get tough with the E.U. and they might just cut you a better deal. But there's no indication of that at the moment. In fact, what we've heard from the man in charge of Brexit at the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, who said, the take back control and remember, take back control was the language that the leavers, that Boris Johnson and his group, used to convince people to leave the European Union, take back control, take back control from the European Union, that's being turned against them today. And at E.U., they are saying this take back control that Boris Johnson is doing looks very, very sinister. So at the moment, it seems we really are on a much harder and tougher wall footing, both Johnson here at home against the opposition here and some in his party here and with the E.U. The lines are drawn and the differences are getting much sharper.
[Sciutto:] There have already been economic costs in the U.K., the economy contracting in advance of this expectation, Nic. How are the British people, how is the economy, how is it responding to this march towards a no-deal Brexit?
[Robertson:] Well, the pound is weakening. It has done again today on news of this no deal becoming more likely, weakening against the dollar. The calculations and assessments have been made not just by civil servants working for the government but by other independent bodies, by the governor of the Bank of England as well, have all predicted that the British economy will be weaker. Its rate of growth has been slackening compared to other leading E.U. nations. It's been slackening against them. The expectation is that there will be you know, that there will be an economic price to pay. But Boris Johnson's position is, that in the long run, Britain will be better off. And there are a number of people who believe that. And that the I have to say that the sort of stock and trust placed in politicians here at the moment is so low. People will believe what they want to believe, even if politicians tell them one thing, they won't necessarily believe it.
[Sciutto:] That sounds familiar, Nic. I think I'm aware of that phenomenon somewhere else. Anna Stewart, Nic Robertson, thanks very much. We know you're going to stay on top of that story. The owners of a company accused of fueling a national opioid epidemic could be walking away from the family business. What that means, that's coming up.