Winston Peters and Boris Johnson at the Cabinet War Rooms in London April 2018. Photo / Stephen Parker
Winston Peters and Boris Johnson at the Cabinet War Rooms in London April 2018. Photo / Stephen Parker
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were quick to say that Boris Johnson's elevation to British Prime Minister will be good for New Zealand.
He is a friend of New Zealand, it has been said repeatedly since his very first visit here in 2017.
Peters established a special rapport withhim quickly as Foreign Ministers together. So did Gerry Brownlee who hosted him in New Zealand, and Murray McCully before that.
Johnson's hail-fellow-well-met style ensures he establishes a special rapport with people all over the world, as evidenced by the hast in which Twitter became littered with "me and Boris" pictures on Tuesday night.
No one would diminish the value and symbolism of him sharing Churchill's wartime bunker with Winston Peters, a fellow Churchill aficionado, on a visit to London.
But Ardern, at least, is realistic about the limits of that friendship for a country teetering on turmoil – and it does mean anything quickly.
Johnson has raised the prospect of what might be called a four-eyes free travel arrangement between Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
And he has talked about New Zealand being at the front or near the front of the queue for a free trade agreement.
His expressions of friendship may be sincere and his intentions good.
But even if New Zealand were at or near the front of the bilateral FTA queue, getting to that queue could be several years away.
The two main current options for Britain leaving the EU - by remaining in its trading Customs Union for a couple more years while negotiations continue or by crashing out without an agreement in a hard Brexit- will not change its primary imperative.
That will be to address its trading relationship with the European Union. Crisis or no crisis, election or no election, Britain's businesses will be expecting negotiating a deal with the EU as its No 1 priority.
Until that is settled, nothing else will get a look in.
Britain's second priority will be to begin a free trade deal with the largest economy in the world and its closest ally, the United States.
As well as negotiating an FTA with the EU, New Zealand is as ready as it could be for when Britain gives it the green light for talks to begin.
Boris Johnson's elevation to British Prime Minister will be good for New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern and Winston Peters say. Photo / AP
But there is no privately drafted deal ready to be inked as soon as Britain has sorted out its mess with Europe.
And one of the biggest headaches for New Zealand will be to sort out the existing quotes held by the EU, and whether they are allocated to the UK or EU.
New political relationship may have to be forged if Liam Fox is dumped as International Trade Minister.
It is fortuitous that Trade Minister David Parker is going to London next week in another capacity and may be able to meet his new counterpart.
But that is a convenient coincidence. It does not mean New Zealand gets a head start.
