- Albanese joined by partner Jodie Haydon
- He gifted a four-pack of ‘Albo’s Pale Ale’
Anthony Albanese has gifted Keir Starmer a four-pack of ‘Albo’s Pale Ale’ as he and partner Jodie Haydon arrived at 10 Downing Street.
Australia’s Prime Minister held four cans of the beer brewed by Willie the Boatman in Sydney’s inner west as the couple arrived for the dinner in London.
A photo of a much younger Albanese is pictured on the brews’ logo.
‘We’re polite guests,’ he told photographers.
Ms Haydon wore a blue pantsuit for the dinner, which will be hosted by Starmer and his wife Diana and also attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The gift comes after Albanese shouted a round of drinks at Old Mate’s Pub in New York City, a pub owned by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, tennis legend Ash Barty and radio hosts Andy Lee and Hamish Blake.
In true Aussie fashion, the pub must shout free drinks whenever a notable Aussie icon rings the Bells Beach trophy.
After ringing the bell, Albanese set to work and helped pour schooners of beer, serving them to the massive crowd of pub patrons.
The dinner at Number 10 comes after formal talks between Albanese and Starmer.
Carney, Albanese and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will attend the Global Progress Action Summit, which brings together leaders, policy experts and strategists from more than 20 countries.
Albanese has arrived in the UK with plenty of harsh realities to deal with: Ukraine, Gaza and AUKUS among them.
The UK is one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, with Starmer rallying Western nations to commit forces and funding towards a ‘coalition of the willing’ to keep the peace following a ceasefire with Russia.
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, ex-New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and rising US Democratic stars such as Pete Buttigieg are in London for the global gathering of progressive leaders.
Australia and its former colonial power also co-ordinated their formal recognition of Palestine, doing so at the United Nations.
Albanese’s first formal meeting of his UK tour was with Blair, who has put forward a plan to temporarily head up a governing body for Gaza once Israel’s war in the enclave ends.
Albanese also held a bilateral with Sanchez, and Carney, as well as one figure from the right: UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch.
The AUKUS nuclear submarine deal between Australia, the US and UK is also likely to be discussed, as the White House continues its review of the trilateral defence pact.
Questions remain over the supply of the submarines, given both the US and UK are facing significant backlogs in their shipyards.
Monash-Warwick Alliance International relations researcher Tom Howe said Australia had a lot riding on London’s ability to deliver on its promises.
‘The UK is supposed to be deploying and rotating a submarine out of the base in Perth from 2027,’ he told AAP.
Albanese will be able to pick up the issue with Trump on October 20, when he will embark on a state visit to the White House.
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