Bishop laments the exit of Boris

JULIE Bishop has dubbed Boris Johnson “a great friend to Australia” after the British Foreign Secretary’s shock resignation.

Mr Johnson is the second British MP to resign over Prime Minister Theresa May’s “soft” Brexit proposal, which is now threatening to tear her government apart.

Australia’s foreign affairs minister has signalled concerns that Britain could have less of a focus on the Pacific region under new British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt as she praised his predecessor.

“Boris Johnson is a great friend to Australia,” she said. “He was reshaping Britain’s foreign policy including in relation to deeper engagement in the Pacific.

“I look forward to talking to the new Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt about some of the initiatives we achieved with Secretary Johnson.”

Mr Johnson, one of the best-known members of the UK government, quit just hours after the resignation late on Sunday of Brexit Secretary David Davis, the government’s top Brexit official.

Mr Davis said he could not support Ms May’s plan to maintain close trade and regulatory ties with the EU.

There was no immediate statement from Mr Johnson, another loud pro-Brexit voice.

The resignations came just days after Ms May announced she had finally united her government behind her plan for a divorce deal with the EU. Less than nine months remain until Britain leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019.

Britain and the EU hope to reach broad agreement by October so EU national parliaments can ratify a deal before Britain leaves.

That timetable looks increasingly optimistic, but the European Commission’s Margaritis

BORIS JOHNSON IS A GREAT FRIEND TO AUSTRALIA ... HE WAS RESHAPING BRITAIN’S FOREIGN POLICY

Schinas said the EU was available “available 24/7.”

Ms Schinas said the bloc “will continue to negotiate in good will with Ms May and the UK government negotiators”.

Before Mr Johnson quit, Ms May’s official spokesman, James Slack, said Britain wanted to “move forward at pace” in the negotiations.

“There is now a new secretary of state and we look forward to moving on,” he said.

During a 12-hour meeting on Friday, May’s Cabinet finally agreed on a plan for future trade ties with the EU.

The plan seeks to keep the UK and the EU in a free-trade zone for goods.

JULIE BISHOP