A new centrist political party has launched in Australia, and Downing Street is already eyeing it as a potential vehicle to strengthen Commonwealth trade ties. The party, called 'Forward Australia', was unveiled in Canberra on Tuesday by a coalition of former Liberal and Labor moderates, promising to break the two-party duopoly and refocus the country on economic pragmatism.
For British workers watching from afar, the immediate question is not about Australian domestic politics. It is about what this new alignment means for the price of goods on the shelf and the security of their jobs. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government, desperate to deliver on its promise of a 'decade of national renewal', sees a chance to deepen trade links with a like-minded government that prioritises stability over ideology.
Forward Australia's platform reads like a carbon copy of Starmer's own pitch: fiscal discipline, green industrial investment, and a robust social safety net. Their leader, former trade minister Jennifer Wells, has already signalled her intention to fast-track a comprehensive free trade agreement with the UK, one that goes beyond the limited deal struck after Brexit.
'We are not anti-union, we are pro-prosperity,' Wells told reporters. 'A strong British economy is in Australia's interest. We want to lower barriers for British manufactured goods and agricultural products, and in return, we want easier access for Australian services into the UK market.'
For the British high street, that could mean cheaper Australian wine, lamb, and mining equipment. But for factory workers in the North, it raises the old fear: will cheaper imports undercut their wages? The Trades Union Congress is already wary. 'Any trade deal must include enforceable labour standards and protections against a race to the bottom,' said TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak. 'We will be watching this very closely.'
The timing is critical. The UK economy is still nursing a hangover from the cost of living crisis, with wage growth only just outpacing inflation. The Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates steady next week, but the pressure on household budgets remains intense. A trade deal with Australia could inject fresh competition into sectors like food processing and automotive, potentially lowering prices but also risking job losses in uncompetitive plants.
In Bolton, where the textile industry collapsed decades ago, the lessons of free trade are raw. 'We were told globalisation would make us all richer,' said Margaret Tate, a retired mill worker. 'But my son couldn't find work here. He's in Perth now. Maybe this new party will help him, but I don't trust politicians who promise the world.'
Downing Street is careful not to get ahead of itself. While a Starmer-Wells axis would be ideologically harmonious, any formal alignment is years away. The UK has its own electoral cycle, and Australia's new party must first win seats in the next federal election, due by 2025. Yet the diplomatic groundwork is being laid. Sir Keir has already spoken to Wells by phone, and trade officials are preparing a 'Commonwealth 2.0' framework that would prioritise deals with Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
For now, the reaction in the markets has been muted. The pound edged up slightly on the news, but analysts say the real test will be whether Forward Australia can survive the tribal loyalties of Australian politics. 'Centrist parties have a poor track record,' said economist Dr. Harriet Chen of the London School of Economics. 'But if they succeed, it could reshape the Commonwealth's economic architecture.'
Back in the North, the mill towns wait. There is cautious hope that cheaper goods might ease the squeeze on family budgets, and that new export markets could revive struggling manufacturers. But there is also the bitter memory of promises made and broken. For Sarah Jenkins, reporting on the real economy, the story is always the same: trade is about power, and power is about who gets to set the rules. This time, the rulemakers are talking a good game. The question is whether the workers will get a seat at the table.
