Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott is made president of the UK’s Board of Trade
Tony Abbott gets a job! Former prime minister becomes a UK trade envoy 15 months after leaving politics – as Scott Morrison says he is a ‘good hire’
- Ex Australian PM Tony Abbott will become president of the UK’s Board of Trade
- The 62-year-old will tasked with helping Britain strike trade deals around world
- He will hold the role jointly with United Kingdom Trade Secretary Liz Truss
By Charlie Moore, Political Reporter For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 21:23 EDT, 25 August 2020 | Updated: 02:14 EDT, 26 August 2020
Former Australian prime minster Tony Abbott will reportedly become president of the UK’s Board of Trade.
The 62-year-old will be tasked with helping Britain strike trade deals around the world after leaving the European Union.
He will hold the role jointly with UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss, according to The Sun.
Tony Abbott is friends with UK leader Boris Johnson. He uploaded this picture of the pair together after Johnson was made foreign secretary in July 2016
Mr Abbott stands with his wife Margie Abbott (second left) and their daughters Frances (left) Louise Abbott (second right) and Bridget (far right) after winning the 2013 election
His appointment is yet to be made official but a UK government source told the newspaper ‘we are delighted to have him.’
Mr Abbott, who was prime minster from 2013 to 2015, is a staunch monarchist and has supported Brexit.
He is friends with UK leader Boris Johnson and was a guest at the Conservative Party conference in October where he urged Britain to be hopeful about the future.
‘Now I know that many people here in Britain think that these are daunting times, but surely they are also stirring times because, yet again, a great country is grasping for freedom,’ he said.
Mr Abbott lost his seat in Warringah, on Sydney’s northern beaches, at the federal election in May 2018 and has been looking for a job since.
During Australia’s devastating summer of bushfires, he filled his time by volunteering as a fireman with his local rural fire service branch.
Mr Abbott (pictured working as a volunteer fireman) lost his seat in Warringah, on Sydney’s northern beaches, at the federal election in May 2018 and has been looking for a job since then
Questions have now been raised about whether Mr Abbott will have to register as an agent of foreign influence under Australia’s transparency laws.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison brushed off those questions on Wednesday, simply saying the appointment was a ‘good hire’.
‘I’ll leave that for the attorney-general to sort out and I’m sure there’s paperwork for Tony to fill out – I’m sure he’ll get that done,’ the prime minister told reporters in Canberra.
‘But well done Boris, good hire.’
The UK is currently negotiating trade deals with Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States.
During Australia’s devastating summer of bushfires, Mr Abbott (left) filled his time by volunteering as a fireman with his local rural fire service branch
