NGOẠI TRƯỞNG ANH TỰ GỌI MÌNH LÀ NGOẠI TRƯỞNG DA ĐEN và GỌI PENNY WONG LÀ "WOKE" AUSTRALIA MINISTER. (*Woke means being conscious of racial discrimination in society and other forms of oppression and injustice. )./-Mt68

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James Cleverly rejects call to confront UK's colonial past after speech by 'woke' Australia minister

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Story by Greg Heffer, Political Correspondent For Mailonline Foreign Secretary.

He highlighted his own heritage, as well as that of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman, as evidence the UK had successfully moved beyond its imperial history.

The Foreign Secretary made the remarks after his Australian counterpart Penny Wong used a speech in London this week to call on Britain to reflect on its 'uncomfortable' past.

Ms Wong has been criticised back in Australia for engaging what has been dubbed 'woke diplomacy' while in Britain.

But, appearing alongside the Australian foreign minister at a joint press conference in Portsmouth this afternoon, Mr Cleverly insisted there had been 'no awkwardness' during their talks.

Penny Wong has been criticised back in Australia for engaging what has been dubbed 'woke diplomacy' while in Britain© Provided by Daily Mail

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly insisted there had been 'no awkwardness' during his talks with the Australian foreign minister© Provided by Daily Mail

'There's been no tension, no awkwardness, there's been perhaps more than a little bit of humour about how often our history is portrayed both here in Portsmouth and in London,' the Foreign Secretary said.

He revealed the pair did discuss 'the nature of the relationship between the UK and other countries which are now in the Commonwealth but which were previously British colonies'.

But Mr Cleverly said these were 'not the mainstay of the conversations we've been having'./-