Fears of global trade conflict as PM says UK seeks strong economic ties with US

The US president has introduced a 25% levy connected goods coming from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% commercialized taxation connected Chinese goods, which volition travel into effect connected Tuesday

The UK is aiming to support a "strong trading relationship" with the US, according to Sir Keir Starmer, successful the aftermath of President Donald Trump's determination to slap caller tariffs connected imports, raising the spectre of a commercialized war.

Mr Trump has instituted a 25% tariff connected goods from Mexico and Canada on with a 10% commercialized taxation connected Chinese wares acceptable to instrumentality effect connected Tuesday. Both Canada and Mexico person promised to respond to these levies with their ain retaliatory tariffs against US products. In turn, China has declared its volition to instrumentality measures to safeguard its interests.

These penalties person precipitated concerns that the world whitethorn beryllium entering a caller epoch of commercialized conflicts. During a gathering astatine Chequers with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Sir Keir was quizzed astir the tariffs. "It is aboriginal days. What I privation to spot is beardown trading relations," helium remarked to members of the press.

Echoing this sentiment, the Prime Minister asserted: "In the discussions that I person had with President Trump, that is what we person centred on, a beardown trading relationship. So it is precise aboriginal days."

Earlier, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had voiced apprehension implicit the imaginable repercussions of Mr Trump’s actions, suggesting they could wreak havoc connected the planetary economy.

When questioned astir the President’s announcement connected the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, she stated: "Tariff increases truly close crossed the satellite tin person a truly damaging interaction connected planetary maturation and trade, truthful I don’t deliberation it’s what anybody wants to see."

The nonsubjective of the US tariffs is to use unit connected its closest neighbours to measurement up efforts successful curbing amerciable migration to America and halting the influx of the opioid fentanyl.

Critics of the commercialized penalties person cautioned that they could stoke ostentation successful the US economy, starring to a surge successful prices. Ms Cooper expressed to the BBC that the UK's absorption is "on gathering commercialized links and amended trading relationships, and removing barriers to trade, with the US and besides with different European countries and with countries close crossed the world".

She further emphasised the purpose to "reduce the barriers to trade, marque it easier for businesses". The Government's adversaries person projected varying strategies to antagonistic the imaginable hazard of tariffs being imposed connected UK goods.

While the Liberal Democrats person advocated for the UK to found a customs national with the EU, Conservative shadiness concern caput Andrew Griffith suggested that Sir Keir Starmer should question stronger commercialized relations with the US.

The Prime Minister should beryllium redirecting his level from Belgium, wherever helium is scheduled to conscionable EU leaders connected Monday, to Washington DC, stated the elder Tory.

Ministers person antecedently asserted that they bash not expect the US volition enforce tariffs connected the UK, arsenic it does not person a commercialized shortage with Britain. On the different hand, Sir Keir has stated that the UK does not request to take betwixt fostering person ties with Europe oregon with the US.