One of the dreams of older Brexiters is to see Britain regain a closer relationship with former British Dominions like Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
True, it was said of Sir Robert Menzies, Australia's prime minister from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966, that he governed the country as though it were moored off the coast of Kent.
But those days are long gone. The Independent reports what Steve Ciobo, Australian trade minister, told the European parliament today. He said that Australia’s "historical" relationship with Britain was "n many respects a relationship of yesteryear":
He added that negotiating a free trade deal with Britain would be "at a minimum … two and half a years away", and said talks with the EU were significantly more advanced.
"I see the European Union FTA as certainly commencing formal negotiations well and truly prior to anything that might happen with the UK," he told MEPs.
"The UK and Australia of course do have a historical relationship, but it's in many respects a relationship of yesteryear."I fear the Brexiteers' dream, born of a mixture of nostalgia and racism, is over.
Search Google News for 'Steve Ciobo' and you will find he spends his time talking to India and China. Both are a lot closer to Australia than Kent is.
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