ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
British trade advisor Tony Abbott has received a typically cold but polite Nej tak from the Folketing this morning after offering the small nation a great deal on some iron ore from our nation’s West.
The news comes as the former prime minister defied critics to be appointed as one of Boris Johnson’s closest trade advisors this week, which has to lead some in the media calling for Mr Abbott to be classed as an ‘agent of foreign influence’.
The Advocate spoke briefly to the Danish trade minister this morning via telephone, where he said the deal was fantastic but a nation such as Denmark has little to no use for the raw commodity.
“We Danes, we usually purchase the end product of this material. Such as steel and iron as beams, you know. When it comes off the boat, a Maersk boat usually, you know, as like beams. Such as the photo, you know, of the New Yorkers eating a meal on a beam in that famous photo, you know that one, it is famous,”
“That is the type of beam in which we Danes usually buy from places that make such things, such as China. For Tony, who works for the British Government, trying to sell us iron ore from Australia, it is very strange. In fact, I have no idea why he came to us and why you are even talking to us now,”
“In Denmark, we say ‘Mange Tak!’ which means a thousand thanks. So a thousand thanks for your time. Thank you.”
Our reporter has reached out to Tony Abbott and the British Government for comment but have yet to receive a reply.
More to come.
