May & Malcolm Turnbull visit scene of London Bridge attack

May & Malcolm Turnbull visit scene of London Bridge attack

Australia is ready to sign a trade deal with Britain 'as soon as possible' after Brexit, premier Malcolm Turnbull said in Downing Street today.

Mr Turnbull hailed the prospects for British free trade after Brexit in a joint press conference with Theresa May this afternoon.

The pair discussed trade and how to best counter terrorism over a working lunch on Mr Turnbull's first official visit to Britain.

Asked when Australia could sign a deal with Britain, Mr Turnbull said: 'As soon as possible - 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.'  

Mr Turnbull - who joked about his time at Oxford University with Mrs May - said Britain was right to be seeking a future based in free trade. 

Hailing 26 years of uninterrupted economic growth in Australia, he said: 'Economic prosperity has been shown to be delivered by free trade and open markets.' 

Malcolm Turnbull and Theresa May held a press conference in No 10 this afternoon (pictured) after talks on countering terrorism and trade 

The Australian PM is no stranger to the UK - or to the Prime Minister - after studying at Oxford University at the same time as Mrs May

During today's talks (pictured) the pair discussed trade and how to best counter terrorism over a working lunch on Mr Turnbull's first official visit to Britain

Earlier, they visited the scene of the London Bridge attack today. Two Australians were among the eight killed in the attack last month, which saw three armed men drive into pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in Borough Market.

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull toured Borough Market, visited Southwark Cathedral and were greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick.

At the press conference, Mrs May said a trade deal with Australia was a 'priority' for the UK after Brexit, to expand on the £14 billion-worth of trade between the two nations.

'We've both made clear our intention to continue to deepen our trade and investment relationship as the UK leaves the EU,' she said.

Mr Turnbull joked about his time as a contemporary of Mrs May and her husband Philip May at Oxford University

'Our Brexit negotiations have started well, and I have made clear to prime minister Turnbull that an ambitious and comprehensive bilateral trade deal with Australia remains a priority for the UK.

'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.'

Following the earlier visit to London Bridge, Mr Turnbull voiced Australia's solidarity in the wake of the wave of terror attacks on the UK.

He said: 'When your institutions are attacked, we feel that ours are too. When Britain is attacked by terrorism, we feel we are attacked as well.

'The attack on Westminster Bridge, the cruel assault on young children in Manchester Arena, the attack at London Bridge and Borough Market - these were felt by the Australian people as keenly as the attacks we have suffered at home in Australia.

'We stand shoulder to shoulder now, as we always have, in freedom's cause today, defying and defeating the Islamist terrorists that seek to do us harm, to seek to destroy our way of life and prevent us from living our way of life as we always have.'

Theresa May and her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull (pictured in Borough Market today) visited the scene of the London Bridge attack ahead of talks on counter terrorism

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull visited the exact spot of the culmination of the June 3 attack, outside the Wheatsheaf pub in Borough Market 

Following the visit to Borough Marker (pictured) Mr Turnbull voiced Australia's solidarity in the wake of the wave of terror attacks on the UK

Mr Turnbull joked about his time as a contemporary of Mrs May and her husband Philip May at Oxford University.

'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,' he said.

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

And Mrs May ribbed her old friend about England's first cricket Women's World Cup victory over Australia since 1993.

'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,' she said.

Mr Turnbull stressed that the UK and Australia remained close friends 'whatever our differences may be on particular sporting contests', adding: 'Australians want their team on the field beating the Poms.' 

The Australian PM will meet the Queen later as well as other senior ministers.  

Mr Turnbull said Britain and Australia stood 'shoulder to shoulder' against terrorism following a briefing at the scene of the attack from the Met Commission (pictured) 

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull visited Southwark Cathedral at the scene and were greeted by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick (pictured left)

After US President Donald Trump signalled he was eager to put together a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK, Mrs May is expected to press her Australian counterpart on improving economic ties after Britain withdraws from the EU.

A Number 10 spokesman said: '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.' 

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull should have plenty to discuss about the nature of elections.

The Australian Liberal was re-elected last year - but with a major ity of just a single seat. 

Mrs May and Mr Turnbull should have plenty to discuss about the nature of elections after the Australian Liberal was re-elected last year - with a majority of just a single seat

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