Keir Starmer insisted ‘all options remain on the table’ in how the UK responds to Trump’s tariffs, adding: ‘Nobody wants to see a trade war – but I have to act in the national interests’
Keir Starmer discusses response to US introducing tariffs
Keir Starmer has said it was likely that Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will hit the UK – as he vowed to act in the national interest in response.
The PM said: “The likelihood is there will be tariffs. Nobody welcomes that. We are obviously working with the sectors most impacted at pace on that.” But the PM insisted “all options remain on the table” in how the UK responds, adding: “Nobody wants to see a trade war – but I have to act in the national interests.”
The PM’s comments were echoed by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds who said the UK expects every country to be hit by the US hike in tariffs. He told Sky News: “Only the President himself will ultimately know what the plan in place will be but we expect that to affect every country.”
Mr Reynolds said individual countries – including the UK – would then be able to negotiate with Washington on deals with the President. He said he was hopeful any US tariffs will be reversed or mitigated with British negotiators locked in talks with their American counterparts.
The US president is set to unveil sweeping import taxes on goods from countries around the world on Wednesday, an event Mr Trump has dubbed “Liberation Day”. The UK has been attempting to negotiate an economic deal with the US, which it is hoped could protect UK businesses from the worst impacts of Mr Trump’s plans. But that is not expected to be in place by Wednesday.
The UK has been attempting to negotiate an economic deal with the US, which it is hoped could protect UK businesses from the worst impacts of Mr Trump’s plans. But that is not expected to be in place by Wednesday.
Mr Trump has announced a 25% import tax will be introduced on all cars imported to the US, a measure expected to hit British luxury car makers such as Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin. The levy is on top of a series of tariffs set to come into effect on Wednesday, which could include a general 20% tax on UK products in response to the rate of VAT.
No10 said on Monday ministers were still trying to negotiate a deal but admitted talks were likely to continue after Wednesday. So far, Keir Starmer has resisted imposing retaliatory tariffs, with the US having already slapped tariffs on steel and aluminium imports earlier this month. But the PM has not ruled out retaliatory action to the latest action and is facing calls to slap tariffs on US cars, including Elon Musk’s Teslas.
Mr Starmer’s official spokesman said on Monday: “When it comes to tariffs the Prime Minister has been clear he will always act in the national interest and we’ve been actively preparing for all eventualities ahead of the expected announcements from President Trump this week, which we would expect the UK to be impacted by alongside other countries.”