Keir Starmer left reeling by Donald Trump’s latest bombshell | Politics | News

Sir Keir Starmer is trying desperately to stop Donald Trump’s latest tariff offensive that is further damaging the UK economy. The US President has said he will impose 15% global tariffs as he continues to rail against the Supreme Court’s previous decision that reduced import duties.

Mr. Trump initially said he would impose a new global tariff of 10% but later raised it to the maximum allowed under a never-before-used trade law. Tariffs are allowed to remain in effect for about five months before the administration must seek congressional approval.

Businesses have warned that the move means many people will face higher tariffs than before the intervention of the American legal system, as the rate previously charged in the UK was 10%.

British officials hope the changes will not affect the preferential arrangements negotiated by the Prime Minister on steel, cars and pharmaceuticals, but the situation remains unclear.

The US administration is also threatening to increase pressure on Britain to make concessions on chlorinated chicken, pharmaceutical costs and technology firms.

Education Minister Bridget Phillipson emphasized that talks between the UK and the US were taking place at the “highest level”, but did not rule out retaliatory tariffs.

“We will always defend British interests,” he told Sky News, adding that it needed a “nuanced” approach.

The Education Secretary told Sky’s Sunday Morning Trevor Phillips: “So we got a concessionary deal.

“We hope and expect that this will continue through the Prime Minister’s work with the US government and President Trump, but these discussions are ongoing.

“This is an evolving situation. But of course we want to get the best possible deal for British businesses.”

“I understand the uncertainty this creates for them, but they can rest assured that we will always work to ensure they get everything they need.”

He added: “You talked about the approach of whether to take a hard-line approach or a more nuanced approach… it has to be a combination of all those things, but in reality when you’re ready to have serious conversations, you often achieve more, not in front of the cameras or in front of the public, but actually behind the scenes, working closely across governments, and we have a really strong relationship with the US.

“This isn’t about a president or a prime minister; it’s about a long-term, lasting relationship that’s right for our country and right from a national security perspective, and it’s also really important that we work together on key questions like defense at a time of significant global instabilities.”

William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC, said: “We feared the President’s response to Plan B could be worse for British businesses, and this proves it.

“This means a further 5 per cent increase in customs duties on a wide range of goods exported from the UK to the US, excluding those falling under the Economic Prosperity Agreement.

“This will be bad for trade, it will be bad for U.S. consumers and businesses, and it will weaken global economic growth. Businesses on both sides of the Atlantic need a period of clarity and certainty. Higher tariffs are not the way to achieve that.”

Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Oxford Economics, told the Telegraph: “For the UK, which thinks it’s getting a more advantageous rate of 10 per cent, that’s an impact on you.”

Mr. Trump used “emergency powers” ​​to impose reciprocal tariffs in April, but that was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court.

He signed an executive order to reimpose global tariffs, but must get approval from Congress within 150 days.

The UK Government has said it expects the UK’s “privileged trading position with the US” to continue despite the 15% rate.

A spokesman said: “This is for the US to determine but we will continue to support UK businesses as more details are announced.

“In any scenario, we expect to maintain our privileged trading position with the US and will work with the administration to understand how the decision will impact tariffs on the UK and the rest of the world.”

In his post on Saturday, the US President said: “Based on a comprehensive, detailed and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written and extraordinarily un-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday by the United States Supreme Court after months of deliberation, please allow this statement to represent that I, as President of the United States, will immediately enact a 10 percent increase in Worldwide Tariffs on Countries, many of which have ‘exploited’ the United States for decades, without retribution (until I get here!), fully permissible and legally tested.” “to the 15 percent level.”