Key points
- Trade negotiations would continue with Trump’s administration: Starmer
- Starmer vows to respond with pragmatism, cool and calm heads
- We are living in a changing world: Starmer
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told business chiefs at his Downing Street office on Thursday that “clearly there would be an economic impact” from a 10 per cent tariff imposed on British exports to the United States.
“Last night the president of the United States acted for his country, and that is his mandate. Today, I will act in Britain’s interests with mine,” said Starmer, adding that trade negotiations would continue with Trump’s administration and that “we will fight for the best deal for Britain”, according to AFP.
Stressing that “nobody wins in a trade war”, Starmer vowed to respond with “pragmatism, cool and calm heads”.
“We have a range of levers at our disposal, and we will continue our work with businesses across the country to understand their assessment of these options,” he said.
Securing a deal
“Our intention remains to secure a (trade) deal. But nothing is off the table, he said.
“We have to understand that just as with defence and security, so too for the economy and trade we are living in a changing world,” he said.
The German Federation of Business (BDI) has condemned Trump’s tariffs as an “unprecedented assault” on global trade, according to the Guardian.
In a statement released this morning, it cautioned that “the European economy must not be subject to the whims of geopolitical interests” and called for a unified response to the 20 per cent levy now facing the 27 EU member states.
