July 24, 2019
Peters rates Boris Johnson a friend to NZ
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand has a friend in high places with the elevation of Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister.
Mr Johnson was yesterday elected by Conservative Party members to replace Theresa May as party leader.
He has pledged to leave the European Union on 31 October even if no deal has been reached, rather than postpone Brexit any further.
Mr Peters says Mr Johnson knows him and Trade Minister David Parker and has always showed affection for New Zealand.
"So in terms of free trade arrangements with the UK in the future, we at least hit the ground running. That's progress, and we need to step up our relationships because we're an export-dependent nation. Those exports give jobs back in this country no matter whether we're European, Maori, whatever our background is, and we need to do a whole lot better than we have been doing, so I am delighted to see at least we have a friend in the Court of St James so to speak in the UK," Mr Peters says.
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