Rachel Reeves refuses to say if UK will 'retaliate' to Donald Trump trade war threats

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to enforce a 10-20% work connected each US imports that experts person warned could outgo the British system implicit £20billion

Rachel Reeves has swerved questions connected whether the UK would retaliate if Donald Trump slaps tariffs connected imports.

The president-elect has threatened to enforce a 10-20% work connected each US imports that experts person sugested could outgo the British system implicit £20billion. Speaking connected Friday the Chancellor warned tariffs would propulsion up prices for consumers successful some Britain and the United States.

But pressed repeatedly if the authorities would retaliate, Ms Reeves told ITV News: "We're not astatine that stage. We're not passive successful these negotiations. Free commercialized benefits the US and the UK." She added: "No circumstantial tariffs person been recommended oregon suggested."

Ms Reeves besides said: "We look guardant to moving intimately with president-elect Donald Trump. We'll marque represenations for escaped and unfastened trade."

It came arsenic the Chancellor was dealt a stroke with authoritative information showing UK economical maturation slowing betwixt July and September. The system grew by 0.1% implicit the period, versus 0.5% maturation betwixt April and June, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Responding to the figures, she admitted: “Improving economical maturation is astatine the bosom of everything I americium seeking to achieve, which is wherefore I americium not satisfied with these numbers.

She added that she wanted maturation to "be stronger, to travel sooner, and besides to beryllium felt by families close crossed the country".

Taking questions from mill unit astatine an aviation centre successful North Wales, Keir Starmer besides admitted helium was not pleased with the economical figures. He said: "Growing the economy, making definite everybody feels amended off, by which I mean much wealth successful your pocket, is the fig 1 ngo of this government.

"The maturation figures this greeting were not bully enough, not satisfactory, truthful we request to propulsion on."

Liz McKeown, ONS manager of economical statistics, said immoderate sectors similar retail and operation performed well, but added: "Generally, maturation was subdued crossed astir industries successful the latest quarter."