Anthony Albanese wants to expand Australia’s relationship with the UK as he congratulates incoming prime minister Sir Keir Starmer on his landslide election win.
UK’s Labour Party has returned to power after 14 years in opposition and is on track to win more than 400 seats in the 650-seat parliament as vote counting continues.
Mr. Albanese used a post on social media to pass on best wishes to his new UK counterpart.
“Congratulations to my friend and new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his resounding election victory,” he said on social media platform X on July 5.
Earlier on July 5, Mr. Albanese told reporters he wanted to develop Australia’s relationship with the UK, noting he had held talks with Sir Keir.
“Sir Keir Starmer and I have had discussions about the potential, obviously, for him to visit this part of the world as part of (the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) and I would expect that that will occur in coming months,” he said.
“In Sir Keir Starmer and (deputy Labour leader) Angela Rayner, and so many others who I am very familiar with in the British Labour Party, I look forward very much to working with them.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also passed on best wishes to British Labour.
“We look forward to working with the incoming government to help shape the world for the better,” she said.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton congratulated the new British leader.
“The federal opposition will work with the Australian government on a bipartisan basis to continue to nurture Australia’s special, spirited, and significant relationship with Britain,” he said.
“Our bilateral relationship is a strong partnership untarnished by the passing of time, undiminished by distance, and unsullied by changes in government.”
Mr. Dutton said it was important for the relationship between the two countries to strengthen, particularly around the AUKUS agreement on nuclear submarines.
Opposition foreign spokesman Simon Birmingham said he was looking ahead to the “familial” relationship between the UK and Australia growing.
“The outgoing UK government worked closely with our former coalition government to secure the AUKUS partnership and the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement,” he said.
