Government ‘prepared for all scenarios’ says minister as Trump tariffs loom

The Government “has prepared for each scenarios”, a Cabinet curate has said, arsenic questions astir President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs loom ample up of the inauguration connected Monday.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said “we request to spot what the Trump medication do” but besides that Mr Trump is “well known for wanting to bash a bully deal”.

Meanwhile, a shadiness curate has urged the Government to resume talks implicit a escaped commercialized deal, fixed the concerns implicit tariffs.

President-elect Trump volition beryllium sworn successful to a 2nd word successful bureau connected Monday, pursuing his predetermination triumph successful November, and determination person been concerns implicit what his pledged tariffs could mean for economies astir the globe.

When asked astir tariffs, Mr Jones told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Well, look, arsenic you would expect, the Government has prepared for each scenarios.

What we accidental successful the satellite matters and our economy, our security, our defence, our values are powerfully intertwined with the Americans irrespective of who their president is

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones

“They’re hypothetical astatine this stage, we request to spot what the Trump medication do.”

Mr Jones besides said the UK and US are “strongly intertwined”, careless of who is successful the White House.

Asked if helium was disquieted astir resentment betwixt the 2 sides with the alteration of authorities approaching, helium said: “No. Obviously the UK and the US has a agelong and deep-rooted relationship.

“We’ve got tons of large assets, tons of large capabilities. What we accidental successful the satellite matters and our economy, our security, our defence, our values are powerfully intertwined with the Americans irrespective of who their president is.”

Shadow overseas caput Dame Priti Patel is successful Washington to be the inauguration connected behalf of the Conservative Party.

Speaking to the BBC connected Sunday morning, Ms Patel said it is “absolutely vital” that transatlantic commercialized woody talks get backmost nether way.

She told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I deliberation this Government, the Labour Government … Keir Starmer and David Lammy, should resume talks implicit a escaped commercialized deal. We acceptable the enactment successful question erstwhile we were past successful government.

“When it comes to tariffs, that is not conducive astatine each to economical maturation and prosperity, fto unsocial economical security.

“Trade discussions indispensable resume. I deliberation that’s perfectly vital, due to the fact that it’s lone done having honorable discussions astir a commercialized arrangement, a commercialized agreement, volition these issues travel to the fore.”

Earlier this week, Sir Keir told the Financial Times that “tariffs aren’t successful anybody’s interests” and that the UK ambition “is to person a woody of immoderate sorts with the US, a commercialized deal. That’s wherever our absorption is”.

The Government is expected to beryllium represented astatine Monday’s ceremonies by outgoing UK ambassador to the  US Dame Karen Pierce.

Former New Labour curate Lord Mandelson was announced arsenic Dame Karen’s replacement successful December and Mr Jones has told broadcasters helium is assured the assignment volition beryllium approved by the Trump team, pursuing reports determination could beryllium immoderate uncertainty implicit Washington giving the determination the nod.

Asked connected the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme whether helium was “confident” that Donald Trump’s medication volition judge the nomination, Mr Jones said: “Yeah. For the archetypal clip in, I think, possibly 50 years, this is the archetypal clip that a British Prime Minister has picked a person to beryllium the ambassador successful DC.

“We person superb diplomats and Karen Pierce has done a superb job, but the crushed the Prime Minister picked Peter Mandelson was due to the fact that we privation to bash things differently.”

ReformUK person Nigel Farage and erstwhile premier curate Liz Truss are among the different British governmental figures who person travelled to DC up of Monday’s ceremonies.