UK Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer has defended his decision not to retaliate with tariffs against the US, citing the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the US. The UK remains in the same position as most other nations apart from China under the current tariff arrangements.
The recent changes to US trade tariffs have left the UK in a difficult position. Despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to maintain a strong relationship with the US, he has admitted that he has not spoken to President Donald Trump since the tariffs were brought in.
Government sources have confirmed that the UK was not given any advance warning of this week’s changes to US tariffs, leaving it feeling blindsided by the decision. The current tariff arrangements for the UK remain unchanged, with a 10% general tariff plus 25% on steel and cars, placing it in the same position as most other nations apart from China.
Starmer has defended his decision not to retaliate with tariffs, citing the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the US. He stated that ‘our teams talk all of the time‘ and that this constant communication is what one would expect from two very close allies.
Keir Starmer is a British politician who serves as the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Labour Party.
He was elected to the position in April 2020, succeeding Jeremy Corbyn.
Before entering politics, Starmer worked as a human rights lawyer and was involved in several high-profile cases, including the Hillsborough disaster.
As an MP, he has represented the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
However, when pressed on whether Trump had refused his calls to mitigate the impact of the tariffs, Starmer acknowledged that there has been no direct communication since the tariffs were introduced. Despite this, he remains committed to continuing talks with the US about how to minimize the effects of the tariffs.
Starmer emphasized that a trade war is not in anyone’s interest and that the business sector is not calling for retaliatory measures. Instead, he believes that the UK should focus on pursuing other avenues for economic growth and agreements with other partners.
The government’s approach to this situation reflects its recognition that the world has changed and that new opportunities must be pursued. Starmer made clear during his visit to Doncaster that the UK cannot simply sit back and hope that the tariffs will not come into force, but rather must take proactive steps to address the issue.
Starmer also highlighted the importance of maintaining a calm and pragmatic approach to negotiations. He acknowledged that President Trump’s language about countries ‘kissing his ass‘ to hold trade deal talks may be uncomfortable, but emphasized that America is Britain’s closest ally and it is essential to keep this relationship strong.
The UK’s focus on other parts of the world, particularly Japan, also suggests a willingness to engage in diplomatic efforts beyond the US. Starmer’s call with Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was seen as an example of this approach, highlighting the need for cooperation and collaboration to address global trade challenges.
