Australia trade: John Redwood’s reason for not buying from EU is comical but not everyone is finding deal funny

Boris Johnson has agreed the broad terms of a free trade deal with Australia, the first negotiated from scratch since Brexit, but not everyone is as overjoyed as the government seems to be.

However, John Redwood has outdone himself with a tweet about the EU and his joy at a deal with a nation a long long way away.

But first to the deal…

Johnson said it marks a “new dawn” in the UK’s relationship with Australia, with British products like cars, Scotch whisky and biscuits set to be cheaper to sell in the tariff-free agreement.

Mr Johnson and his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, announced the agreement on Tuesday despite concerns from farmers on both sides over the deal.

Industry leaders have spoken out over possible compromises on food standards, while farmers fear they could be undercut by cut-price imports.

Announcing the trade deal, Downing Street said there will be a cap on tariff-free imports for 15 years, while other “safeguards” will be brought in to protect British farmers.

Elsewhere in the agreement, Downing Street said Britons under the age of 35 will be able to travel and work in Australia more freely – suggesting the farm work requirement on working holiday visas could be scrapped.

Redwood

John Redwood isn’t too bothered about his carbon footprint it seems. He tweeted: “I buy much of my food from U.K. farms. I do not buy EU food given their unpleasant attempts to punish us. Happy to have more choice from Australia.”

Even if you hate the EU, wasn’t the idea to still be friends and trade with Europe? It’s hardly a Spanish pig farmer’s fault that we voted to leave the EU, but there you go.

He then followed up with, as expected, another attack on the EU. He typed: “Good news that Australia wants to expand trade with the U.K. on a fair and friendly basis. What a contrast with the EU that does everything it can to block trade and pick trade fights with us.”