BORIS Johnson has hailed the start of trade talks between the UK and Australia by vowing to sell Marmite and Penguins to Aussies.
The PM said the two countries already “shared so much” and they would thrash out a deal so Brits could get their hands on more Australian speciality foods including Tim Tams and vegemite.
In a video posted to Twitter, Mr Johnson brandished a family-size pack of the Australian chocolate biscuits Tim Tams, and asked: “How long can the British people be deprived of the opportunity to have Arnott’s Tim Tams at a reasonable price?”
He said: “I’m absolutely thrilled today to be inaugurating the UK-Australia, Australia-UK free trade agreement talks.
“It’s quite extraordinary to think of all the things we trade with each other already even without a free trade deal.
“We import colossal quantities of absolutely delicious Australian wine, we export all kinds of things including – I was amazed to discover boomerangs made in the UK exported to Australia.”
The PM said he envisaged a world where Brits send Aussies marmite and penguins in exchange for them sending Vegemite and Tim Tams.
He added the deal wasn’t all about Australian food and wine, but it would include agreements on financial services and all other sectors of the economy.
In a reciprocal twitter video from Aussie PM Scott Morrison, he said he was hopeful a deal could be done as soon as the end of next year.
He said: “For a large part of our economic history the UK was Australia’s largest trading partner and the UK remains today one of Australia’s most important investment partners.
“As we build back from the impact of COVID-19 we have a wonderful opportunity to supercharge our economic relationship.
“It will mean more jobs, more growth, more prosperity in both our countries, and more opportunities for Australians and UK citizens to live and work in each other’s countries.”
The PM has pledged to make free trade deals with countries across the world – including Australia and the US – as part of his plan to boost the UK economy after the end of the transition period on December 31.
After stalled trade talks with the EU, Mr Johnson said last week the two parties needed to put a “tiger in the tank” and forced them to agree an intensified program of negotiations.
