British sympathy, and a shared cup of tea, for Turnbull and Javid

The bookies’ favourite to replace Theresa May, Sajid Javid, has consoled former PM Malcolm Turnbull with a cup of tea in Sydney.

Malcolm Turnbull yesterday hosted “good friend of Australia’’ UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid for tea. Picture: Instagram @turnbullmalcolm

The bookies’ favourite to replace Theresa May as British Prime Minister, Sajid Javid, has consoled former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull with a cup of tea in Sydney, baffled by the Australian leadership change.

“I was surprised but I think most Australians were probably surprised … only because it all happened very quickly,” said the visit­ing Home Secretary, referring to Mr Turnbull’s loss, which was followed by Scott Morrison defeating Peter Dutton to become Prime Minister.

“I had a drink with Malcolm.

“It was a lovely drink, a cup of tea,” Mr Javid told The Australian yesterday.

Mr Turnbull is expected to announce his resignation from his seat of Wentworth today and head overseas to New York with his wife Lucy on the weekend. Nominations for Wentworth close next week.

In Sydney briefly after ‘‘five eyes’’ intelligence talks in Brisbane with Mr Dutton, returned as Home Affairs Minister, and ministers from New Zealand, Canada and the US, Mr Javid labelled Russia “one of the biggest threats to Western liberal democracy in its attempts to disrupt and interfere in electoral processes”.

Speaking at the British consulate, he confirmed his government was preparing for the advent of ‘‘no deal’’ with the EU, which it will leave in March.

“We need to prepare for all possible outcomes; it would be wrong to assume we’ll get a deal no matter what,” he said. “It’s got to be the right type of deal.”

He noted the British government was making contingency plans to ensure medical supplies if the country crashed out of the EU.

Responsible for British internal security and immigration, Mr Javid was emphatic that freedom of movement for Europeans to Britain would end.

“You have a type of freedom of movement with New Zealand; we have a freedom of movement between the EU 28 members but that will be ending,” he said.

The 3.5 million Europeans who are already working in Britain, “hugely important to us, eco­nomically and culturally”, would be most welcome to stay, he said.

UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid at the British Consulate in Sydney yesterday. Picture: John Feder

Mrs May said earlier this week that leaving the EU without a deal “wouldn’t be the end of the world”, prompting concerns she was losing hope, almost 18 months after Britain triggered its departure from the EU.

“She’s doing a good job and has an incredible amount of support among parliamentarians; many people are looking at her ­admiringly at how she’s tackling the big challenges,” Mr Javid said.

“I don’t buy into this disaster scenario,” said the Tory powerbroker and leading contender to replace her.

“Remember, the UK is the fifth-largest economy in the world and strong in so many ways, and we will prosper.”

Mr Javid also met Mr Morrison yesterday afternoon.

“We wish him very well,” he said. “We will work with any Australian leader, any Australian government of any colour. We have a good relationship, and know each other socially.”

On British politics, he decried the rise of “hard left, warped ideology” in the British Labour Party, which did unexpectedly well in the 2016 election, almost defeating the Conservative Party.

Mr Javid said Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn had “betrayed” his party by tolerating anti-Semitisim.

“I might not be a member but I respect the Labour Party for its achievements of the past,” he said.