NEW Liz Truss prepares for showdown with Aussie trade minister in London this week.

Her allies says trade deal progress is “glacially slow” under Dan Tehan.

“He is inexperienced compared to Liz. He needs to show that he can play at this level,” they add https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/04/20/liz-truss-hold-showdown-talks-australia-glacially-slow-trade/

Allies of Truss say she plans to sit Aussie trade minister Tehan “in the Locarno Room [in Foreign Office] in an uncomfortable chair, so he has to deal with her directly for 9 hours”.

They add “Australia need to show us the colour of their money” and match “words with action”.

Australia is accused of being “slow to move on key UK asks”, including on services, investment & biz visas – particularly in law & management consultancy.

Australia must make “some serious movement on their side” to unblock negotiations, say Truss allies.

UK also wants to see Aus slash 5% tariffs on Scotch whisky & cars.

Canberra's central demands are on agriculture - lower tariffs on meat exported to UK.

UK-Aus trade deal is expected to boost UK exports to Aus by around £900m. Also paves way for Britain's entry into CPTPP