U.K. Election Polls Tighten with Security in Focus
RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: No trading in London or New York. Holidays on both sides of the Atlantic. Late spring break. And our tour of the United Kingdom begins with Freddie Brexit. It is Monday, it is the 29th of May. Tonight, British party leaders face-off with the election focused squarely on security. The chief executive of British Airways says he won't quit after the airlines weekend of misery and woe for passengers. And no delays on our great British road trip, yes, Freddie Brexit, proud chariot of the road is back in action. I'm Richard Quest. Tonight, live from the capital of Wales, Cardiff, where of course I mean business. And a very good evening to you from Cardiff where the weather has been pretty awful throughout the course of the day. But if everything we're told is right it's going to at least remain dry. Well, the politics may be a bit wet or a bit dry but at least the weather tonight is going to be dry and the details that we're talking about. Tonight, the polls are getting tighter as the party leaders return to the front lines of the U.K. election campaign. There are ten days to go until voters head to the ballot box and there is a renewed focus on security and on Britain's future post Brexit. The leaders, the Prime Minister Theresa May, the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, are both appearing tonight on British television. Remember the Prime Minister has refused to do a party debate on television. Instead they will be grilled separately on key policies. That's happening any time now. In the opinion polls the conservatives seemingly are up 43 percent. Labour is at 36 percent. Liberal Democrats have 9 percent and UKIP is at 4 percent. Theresa May return to the campaign trail after a week after Manchester's terror attack. And the Prime Minister said this vote comes down to whom voters want to lead Britain out of the EU and she wants to shift the attention in this campaign back to Brexit.</s>THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's about a simple question which is who has the will and crucially the plan to deliver on Brexit and make a success of it. And that's important because those negotiations will start just 11 days after polling day. And there won't be any putting it off. It won't be possible to stall it. The Europeans are ready. That's the timetable that is being set. So, the question is who do people want to see on that plane going over to Brussels to negotiate and stand up for Britain.</s>QUEST: Now the election is next Thursday and we have with us Freddie Brexit a fine van that's going to take us on the road. 1977 by the way, for those of you that want to know a little bit about the history. We'll tell you more about it later in the program and what Freddie has been doing. But we are in Cardiff tonight, at the start of our grand tour to meet the voters. A majority Labour area It voted to remain in the EU. On Tuesday, we move to Newport which is again majority Labour and Newport, perhaps some would say somewhat a university voted to leave. Especially bearing in mind the resources they get from the EU. Wednesday and it's business by the seaside. Tourism faces an uncertain future and we're in Weston-super-Mare. Then Thursday, farming at the Royal Bath and West show. Dependent on EU subsidies, also wrapped up in EU red tape. And our weekend is in Windsor. A conservative strong hold and you can follow the trip right the way along at #DriveWithQuest. Off he goes. A week has pasted since the deadly attack in Manchester. It'll be a we can just an hour and 1/2 from now. Putting security issues front and center. Today, Police issued a new image showing the bomber, Salman Abedi. They're appealing for people who might have seen him carrying a blue suitcase between May 18th and the 22nd in Manchester. Meanwhile, the British intelligence, MI5 has launched an internal investigation into whether it missed warnings about Abedi. Over the weekend the U.K.'s threat level was reduced. Lowered from critical to severe. So, people here in Cardiff and how they are reacting one week on from the horrific attack security is very much on voters' minds.</s>QUEST (voice-over): The local police are here armed and watching with a security presence that was by no means intrusive. It allowed Jill and Arian Thomas to enjoy their Sunday drink and consider the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, and how she has handled the crisis.</s>JILL THOMAS, BRITISH VOTER: Well, I think she's a very strong person. I think, you know, she's capable of doing what she says. And I do believe she is a person that has got principles. And I think people are raw with what has happened and they feel they need strong leadership.</s>QUEST: The police said to people to enjoy the weekend but be vigilant. Next weekend in Cardiff will be more significant. The city is hosting the European Champions League Final. A massive football event that will make the capitol of Wales the center of the football world.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Millions of people coming two Cardiff in the next week or so for the champions league. We just need more protection I think on our border controlling. Allowing the right number of refugees into the country. These poor people are going through terrible, terrible atrocities in their own land but we need to ensure that our borders are safe.</s>QUEST: Safe borders is something everyone agrees upon. It's who will best provide them that has this husband and wife Lee and Derick Park disagreeing.</s>DERICK PARK, BRITISH VOTER: After 40 years we don't agree on anything.</s>QUEST (on camera): But do you agree that security has become a greater issue in this election now as a result of Manchester.</s>PARK: Security has become a greater issue in respect of this action. Security. That will be the prime importance of our political leader. And I think they've lost-- they've taken their eye off the ball a little bit in the past but this is brought it back very quickly.</s>QUEST (voice-over): Whatever the response the reality of Manchester lingers on.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't explain it at the moment. It's still a shock. And I mean, to target children is -- you can't explain it when it comes to children.</s>QUEST: Practical solutions for real problems. Now the politicians have to convince voters their party has the answers.</s>QUEST: Everybody agrees it was an atrocity what happened in Manchester. For the three main parties, the goal is to draw clear lines between there national security policies. And this is what the manifesto suggests. The Conservatives say they'll strengthen the police and the security services and include protection of critical infrastructure whilst bolstering responses to things like cyber threats. Labor says it is going to address growing problems of extreme or violent radicalization, would review the governments antiterror prevent strategy. And the Liberal Democrats say they will scrap, prevent and replace it with a community based scheme. So, our student panel tonight, Lucy Golding is representing the Conservative voter. Emlyn Pratt is representing Labour voter. And Usman Mahmood Bukhari is a Liberal Democrat voter. Let's start with yourself. The Prime Minister when she called this election had a 20-point lead in the opinion polls suggested by most people. That has almost evaporated to 5, 6 to 10 to 12 points. What has gone wrong? Is it security that's caused problems?</s>LUCY GOLDING, CONSERVATIVE STUDENT VOTER: Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. It's more gaining traction than the conservatives losing if anything. I think they have new policies. It will be interesting to new voters especially young people. I'm not sure how founded a lot of the policies are.</s>QUEST: On security, for example, how worried are you that security is an issue in this election?</s>GOLDING: I think recently especially with the events of Manchester, definitely a lot more so. Until now wasn't so much. I think the government has proved its doing a good prevent scheme. It's been very effective at stopping thousands of attacks where ever it can.</s>QUEST: The voters don't seem to like many of the policies of Jeremy Corbyn, but Labour has made traction in the polls.</s>EMLYN PRATT, LABOUR STUDENT VOTER: Well, I disagree with you, they don't like our policies. I'd be glad to hear the Conservative saying that, ah, they're getting some traction. But I think, you know, people are listening to our policies and that's why we're gaining in the polls. I think Jeremy Corbyn has been given a very hard time by sections of the media and people don't mind listing.</s>QUEST: But of this question of radicalization. I mean, we're hear at a University, a university that has an Islamic study center, a well renowned and extremely reputable one. But the Deputy Vice Chancellor was saying it is an issue that people have to be concerned about at universities like this. Would you agree?</s>PRATT: Obviously, security say big concern and there's an element that people have to be concerned about. In relation to security particularly as much as you talk about it there's massive cuts to sections like the police and I'm glad to see that Labour will be investing in areas like hopefully to make us more secure.</s>QUEST: Your party, the Liberal Democrats, it's difficult to know where the party stands on the question of security.</s>USMAN MAHMOOD BUKHARI, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT STUDENT VOTER: Yes, security has been much more ambiguous because of the stance of the European Union as you may know, but I think we've always said that leaving the EU would make security much more --</s>QUEST: I heard the former Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, this morning on the radio, advancing arguments for how promotion of security. But the reality is the U.K. is leaving.</s>BUKHARI: Yes. And we agree with that, we'll all leave reluctantly, or we go by choice.</s>QUEST: Are you?</s>BUKHARI: Reluctantly. But I believe in regard to security with a community based system and I think there's something that both parties have not picked on, is that -- someone who is constantly was in a community and a lot of people who feel isolated -- alienated. So, with the Americans arresting case. But we forget that the Muslim community doesn't -- we're not just in general as a community base, we need to look into these people as to why they feel outcast and why they cannot integrate into society and that's the liberal thing the way I see it.</s>QUEST: On this question of what students want, what is for you the defining issue in this election?</s>PRATT: I think education from a student perspective has to be the main priority and I think students have been effected by a lot of the policies of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat government that went before. With tuition fees rising, scoffing of maintenance grants. And things like that that are effecting students particularly from poorer backgrounds.</s>QUEST: He's got a point, hasn't he? The money has gone up 9,000 a year it costs. Which is low compared to what they might pay in the United States. But it's now costing you 9,000 pounds a year.</s>GOLDING: You might say that but the amount of people actually going to university and the demographics there's almost no real decline. There are still huge grants in there. There are huge loans out there. The actual figures of people going to university is almost no different whatsoever so that's more theoretical than practical claim there.</s>QUEST: Is this an election that had to happen?</s>BUKHARI: Well, you can argue whether it had to happen or not all you like. It's here. It's happening. But I think --</s>QUEST: I suppose what I'm saying is, there are many people that feel it has just been all too much. There was a general election, then a referendum and one might say your party leader said he wasn't going to go to the country. She's reversed herself on national insurance in the budget and she has reversed herself on social care cap.</s>GOLDING: That may be true. I don't think that politicians should have to say that they can absolutely never change what they're going to not say or they're going to do in the interest of the country and I don't think that's necessarily a negative thing. This general election is to strengthen our hand in Brexit negotiations.</s>PRATT: Well, I think, you know, if politicians get a bad stick, they're going back on manifesto promises once again elected. I think this is the first case that I know of any way of a party going back on a manifesto promise before the election. I think it was a bit of vanity election called by Theresa May because she thought she'd win.</s>QUEST: You get the last word because you're the third in the polls. It's not often that one finds that situation.</s>BUKHARI: It's fine but you know, the Lib Dems are the biggest numbers ever. And we shall be growing quite a bit. Fastest growing party but to go back into in regard ifs the election should happen or not. My personal view is I think it's a very cynical approach to say it was to grab voters are not, but I think --</s>QUEST: Oh, come on politicians do it all the time. Good to see you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. It's going to be a good election. Any time people get a chance to speak it's well worth it. Many thanks for joining us. Later in the program the effect on Cardiff. We'll have the Deputy Vice Chancellor who will be giving us the real financial numbers for this university. The British Home Secretary is seeking to assure Germany and the leaders of Europe. Amber Rudd, says the U.K. will continue to seek a deep and special partnership with the EU even after it's no longer a member. Comments are prompted by a new campaign from rhetoric from Angela Merkel after G7 and NATO meetings that were dominated by friction with Donald Trump. It is the looming cloud of Brexit. Angela Merkel says it's now time for Europe to fight for its own future.</s>ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We are convinced Transatlanticists and precisely because we are you know that Transatlantic relations are of immense importance for us at all. They rest on mutual values and interests. Particularly when we are in times as we are now of intense challenges. The last few days showed me that the days where we could completely rely on others are over.</s>QUEST: Alexander Stubb is the former Prime Minister of Finland, joins me now via Skype from Helsinki. OK, I know she is talking to an electorate at a time of an election but what did she mean when she said we can't fully rely on some of our allies.</s>ALEXANDER STUBB, FORMER FINNISH PRIME MINISTER (via Skype): To be quite honest I think her statements have been completely blown out of proportion. She's basically saying this ever since January and I think she is right. She has analyzed that Brexit and the election of Donald Trump has forced Europe to take more responsibility about its own future. And I think she was just was very honest about it and I don't think it was too much election campaigning.</s>QUEST: Right, but if she is suggesting -- what's the old line, you want the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down, what they used to say after the second world war. Is she suggesting a shift in some way, this was a very bizarre way to do it. At a Bavarian beer festival or some other odd sort of speech. If it is a major policy change.</s>STUBB: I don't think it's a major policy change but what I think that a lot of Europeans must understand, that after the election of Donald Trump the United States has left a power vacuum. And that power vacuum will be filled by someone. Someone who takes the lead on trade. Someone that takes the lead on values. Someone that takes the lead for instance on military questions. And what she is probably trying to say is that it's perhaps time for the Europeans to take a little bit more responsibility. It was easy for us to sit around tables and bicker when we knew we had the full attention back up of the United States. Now that we don't necessarily always have it I think she is right to point this out.</s>QUEST: Even if she is right, Alex, to point this out, there is one fundamental problem, it is the inability of the EU to sort of, to come up with a common policy other than -- let us just take for example migrants and the dispute within the membership over how to handle the migrant question. If you start asking for leadership from the EU you pretty much are going to end up out of luck. It's only when national governments decide to leave that you do get that full way forward, correct?</s>STUBB: Yes, I think you right and you mentioned the asylum crisis. That's one of the big issues that Europe has to sort out for itself. Remember in 2015 we took in about 1.5 million. Now those figures have come down. And to be quite honest, we must find some kind of a sharing system to do that. And that's probably the message that Angela Merkel is trying to put forward. Another thing shall probably be talking about as well is the future of the euro. How are we going to deal with that? What is our security structure going to be? So, there's many issues that Europe really needs to work on. But if I may, Richard, there's one thing that I do think is very important to outline and that is common values that we still hold between the United States and Europe. And those common values will not separate us no matter who is the President or who is the Chancellor, we must in that sense keep the Transatlantic relations alive.</s>QUEST: You say that Alex, those common values but what are those common values? If you take the current administration there doesn't seem to be too many common values. President Trump couldn't even explicitly reinforce the Article 5 commitment of NATO when he gave his speech.</s>STUBB: Yes, well two points on that. First one is, remember what Angela Merkel said when President Trump was elected. She said we would like to continue to work with you on the values of democracy, freedom, free markets, not protectionism, et cetera, et cetera. We'll work on that basis. Then the second point is remember the United States still has a very strong system of checks and balances. So, the values that have been engraved in the U.S. constitution they haven't gone anywhere no matter who is the president. But thirdly I do agree with you to be quite honest I think Donald Trump standing in front of a 9/11 memorial at NATO and not mentioning Article 5 was in my mind a little bit of bad taste.</s>QUEST: Alex Stubb, former Finnish Prime Minister joining us from Helsinki. Thank you, sir. As we continue tonight, chief executive of British airways apologizes profusely as the airlines chronic IT problems continue to ground flights and leave passengers stranded. This is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS tonight, coming from Cardiff University where it's a pleasant enough evening at the start.