Keir Starmer told MPs the UK government is ‘prepared for all eventualities’ as Downing Street braces for the US President Donald Trump’s 9pm White House announcement
PMQs: Starmer told not to ‘pander’ to Trump’s ‘bullying’ by Claire Hanna
Keir Starmer has warned a trade war is in no country’s interests as Donald Trump prepares to unveil sweeping global tariffs tonight.
The PM said the UK government is “prepared for all eventualities” as No10 braces for the US President’s announcement at 9pm from the White House rose garden. Mr Starmer said no measures have been ruled out – including retaliatory tariffs – but has previously said there will be no knee-jerk response.
He told MPs: “A trade war is in nobody’s interests, and the country deserves – and we will take – a calm and pragmatic approach.” He added: “That’s why constructive talks are progressing to agree a wider economic prosperity deal with the US. That’s why we’re working will all industries and sectors likely to be impacted.
“Our decisions will always be guided by our national interest, and that’s why we have prepared for all eventualities and we will rule nothing out.”
But the SDLP MP Claire Hanna warned Mr Starmer at PMQs: “The wrong approach would be to pander to his bullying tactics and the tech billionaires in his imperial court by cutting the Digital Services Tax.” Lib Dem leader Ed Davey also asked Mr Starmer whether he will lead a “coalition of the willing” against US tariffs. He said: “The Prime Minister has shown commendable leadership over Ukraine with his plan for a military coalition of the willing against (Vladimir) Putin.
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“Will he now provide similar leadership with an economic coalition of the willing against (Donald) Trump’s tariffs, for free trade, so we can avoid a global trade war and a global recession?”
The PM replied: “I think every week he tries to tempt me to make what I think is a false choice between our relationship with the US and our relationship with other countries, particularly Europe. I think that’s the wrong choice on defence, on security and intelligence, for reasons that we’ve rehearsed across this chamber.
“I also think it’s wrong on trade and the economy. We have a good deal of trade, a balanced trade relationship with the US, and I believe that our interests are best served by calmly trying to secure a deal which is in our national interest whilst at the same time preparing and leaving all options on the table.”
The UK government had been hoping to secure an agreement to carve the UK out of the measures – but hope of an eleventh-hour deal appears to have faded. Instead the PM will be hoping to secure a deal in the coming days to shield British firms from the worst impacts of tariffs.
Economists at the Office for Budget Responsibility have warned that US tariffs could eliminate Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s “headroom” against her day-to-day spending plans, requiring her to make more cuts or hike taxes to meet the rules she has set herself. The tariffs could knock up to 1% off the size of the UK economy if there is a full-blown trade war with the UK retaliating to Mr Trump’s measures.
