Boris Johnson eyes cheaper Tim Tams in trade talks

The British PM has announced trade talks with both New Zealand and Australia. Photo / Twitter

Boris Johnson has announced the UK is in trade talks with both New Zealand and Australia.

In a video posted to social media, Johnson said a deal between the UK and Australia would mean "wonderful" Tim Tams for Britons at "a reasonable price".

"How long can the British people be deprived of the opportunity to have Arnott's Tim Tams at a reasonable price?" he said.

"Think of the potential which we have," he added. "I want a world in which we send you Marmite, you send us Vegemite."

The deals with Australia and New Zealand, announced this week, are just some of the deals the UK is trying to get through to come into force after December 31, when the Brexit transition period officially ends.

The country is also said to be in talks with the EU, US and Japan.

There are few countries in the world who share a closer friendship than Australia and the UK.

Now, as an independent trading nation for the first time in decades, we have the opportunity to turn our shared history and friendship into a world-leading free trade agreement. 🇬🇧🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/PPWESs3aHq

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 17, 2020

The first round of trade talks between the UK, Australia and New Zealand is expected to begin via video conference in the coming weeks.

"Ambitious, wide-ranging free trade agreements with old friends like Australia and New Zealand are a powerful way for us to do that and make good on the promise of Brexit," UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said.

I’m proud to call the United Kingdom a friend of New Zealand, and am thrilled that we now have the opportunity to strengthen our alliance by negotiating a new free trade agreement. 🇬🇧🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/OVMilbAq4G

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 17, 2020

Johnson did not single out any New Zealand biscuits that he'd like to get at more reasonable prices but put out a separate video announcing the trade talks with the country and adding that the UK already buys "colossal quantities of New Zealand wine".

He points out that the UK exports gin and buses to New Zealand.

"I'm proud to call the United Kingdom a friend of New Zealand, and am thrilled that we now have the opportunity to strengthen our alliance by negotiating a new free trade agreement," he wrote in his tweet.