AUSTRALIA is "ready" to enter a free-trade agreement with Britain as soon as possible, the country's Prime Minister said today.

Malcolm Turnbull suggested that the UK was "full of optimism" in the wake of Brexit and dismissed those who are in "despair" about Britain's future.

During his first official visit to Britain, the Australian leader:

• Pledged to cut trade deals with both the UK and the EU
• Vowed to crack down on web giants who allow terror groups to plot online
• Watched as Theresa May called on Jeremy Corbyn to condemn bullying in politics
• Admitted he struggled to hold back tears at the site of the Borough Market terror attack

Speaking alongside Theresa May in Downing Street, Mr Turnbull said: "We stand ready to enter into a free-trade agreement with the United Kingdom as soon as the United Kingdom is free to do so.

"Once Brexit is achieved, we look forward to speedily concluding a free trade agreement. At the same time, we are looking forward to the early conclusion of a free trade agreement with the EU.

"I think we were the first on the phone to offer our support and assistance."

Addressing Mrs May directly, he added: "Your vision for post-Brexit Britain is one full of optimism – it's not a counsel of despair as some people have said.

"Your post-Brexit Britain will be a Britain with big horizons, big opportunities, free trade, open markets – you're right, that is the future."

And asked how long a deal would take, the Aussie PM replied: "We move quickly. Australians are fleet of foot, we don't muck around, we are very simple. So we will move as quickly as the UK is able to move."

Emphasising the links between the UK and Australia, Mr Turnbull said: "When your institutions are attacked, we feel that ours are too – when Britain is attacked by terrorism, we feel that we are attacked as well.

"We are family in a historical sense, we are family in a genetic sense."

Mrs May said: "We've both made clear our intention to continue to deepen our trade and investment relationship as the UK leaves the EU.

"Australia was the first country with whom the UK established a trade working group following the vote to leave the EU and we're keeping up a regular and productive dialogue on the future of our free trading relationship."

She confirmed that Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, will visit Australia over the next few years to continue trade talks.

Both leaders called for social media firms to do more to prevent terrorists exploiting their services to plan attacks.

Mr Turnbull said: "We are calling on big internet companies… to ensure that lawful rights of access to information needed to keep our people secure are able to be enforced online just as they are offline."

Mrs May blasted the use of encrypted communication services which allow terrorists to hatch plans without being spied on by security.

The Tory leader was asked whether she wanted Jeremy Corbyn to speak out about the bullying of MPs and parliamentary candidates, many of whom have experienced vicious hate campaigns.

She replied: "I call on party leaders to condemn that – there is no place for that in our democracy.

"I'm surprised at any party leader who's not willing to condemn that, I think frankly we should stand together on this.

"People should be able to stand for election, we should be able to conduct elections without people fearing as to what's going to happen to them as a result of that."

Earlier, Mr Turnbull was close to tears as he visited the spot in Borough Market where eight people were killed last month.

Two Australian women were among those slaughtered by knifemen who drove a van into pedestrians before going on a stab rampage.

Sara Zelenak and Kirsty Boden were both killed by the Islamist fanatics during the attack on June 3.

The two leaders spent time talking to market traders who were affected by the attack, which forced the market to shut for more than a week afterwards.

Mrs May said afterwards that the trip had been "very moving" and praised the way the police dealt with the attack.

Mr Turnbull admitted he nearly wept when he spoke to two of the officers who responded on the night – and vowed to "defy and defeat" terror around the world.

He said: "It was very moving to meet them. The three of us did our best not to burst into tears.

"We say to these killers, to these terrorists that seek to change the way we live, we will not be cowed. We won't change the way we live. We will defy you and defeat you."

The Prime Ministers spoke to Met police chief Cressida Dick outside Southwark Cathedral, which is next to the market.

Greengrocer Paul Wheeler, owner of the stand next to where the attackers were shot dead, spoke to both leaders and Ms Dick.

He said afterwards: "The Australian PM seems all right, I told him he had brought the Australian weather with him, and I thanked the Commissioner, just to say about the boys who were here on the night and after."

Mr Turnbull is getting an award from a think-tank this evening.

The Aussie PM's visit to Britain is a sign that Mrs May is fighting to build stronger links with economies around the world in the wake of Brexit.

A spokesman for Number 10 said today: "A major priority will be our security and defence co-operation, including on counter-terrorism, and our growing trade and investment relationship.

"You can expect both PMs to commit to strengthening the strong and historic partnership that we have."

Mr Turnbull's trip here, which will include an audience with the Queen, is his first official visit to Britain as PM.

MOST READ IN POLITICS

But he is already familiar with the country because he studied law at Oxford around the same time that Mrs May was a student there.

At today's press conference, he reminisced about debating against her at the Oxford Union in a meeting which was chaired by Philip May, who later became the British PM's husband.

Prime Ministers trade quips at press conference

Theresa May joked about England's sporting rivalry with the Aussies, saying: "It's always a pleasure to welcome our Australian friends to London, and even more so when you've just beaten them at the cricket.

"That's the women's cricket of course."

Malcolm Turnbull mentioned the two leaders' previous acquaintance in their university days.

He said: "We're not really debating today but the last time we debated was at the Oxford Union – Theresa Brasier and Malcolm Turnbull were both on the notice paper and the president was Philip May.

"So now what we need is president May here to oversee the debate."

Source: Read Full Article