Steel industry braced for 50% Trump tariff despite UK-US deal
Downing Street would not say on Tuesday whether British steel exporters would be hit with 50% tariffs from the US from Wednesday, despite an agreement to eliminate the charges.
Last week US President Mr Trump announced he was doubling tariffs on the imports of steel from 25% to 50%.
The UK struck a deal with Washington for import taxes on its steel to be removed weeks ago, but its implementation has not been finalised.
The steel industry is working on the understanding that the sector will be impacted by the new rules and the 50% levy will likely affect UK steelmakersfrom Wednesday.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds was due to meet US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday.
Asked whether it was 'embarrassing' that steelmakers could face a worse situation despite the announcement of the deal last month, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'I'm not going to get ahead of announcements for the United States.
'But what you've seen so far is the US and the UK agree a landmark deal across sectors to protect British industries – cars, steel, aluminium – and you've seen the welcoming statements the industries have made in support of the agreement.
'When it comes to implementation of the agreement, that work is ongoing.'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking on the phone to US President Donald Trump during a visit to the West Midlands in May (Alberto Pezzali/PA)
Number 10 later insisted that Mr Trump would keep his word on the UK-US deal.
Asked if Mr Trump could be trusted, a No 10 spokesman said: 'Yes, absolutely. We have a very close relationship with the US. I think that's reflected in the fact that this deal has been signed, and that it is, as we've said before, the first of its kind.'
UK Steel has previously said the tariff announcement is a 'body blow' for the industry.
Director general Gareth Stace said: 'The deal that the Prime Minister and President Trump struck just a few short weeks ago is yet to be finalised, so this doubling of tariffs plunges the UK steel industry further into confusion.
'Uncertainty remains as to whether and when our second biggest export market will be open for business or is being firmly shut in our faces.'
Meanwhile, a Tata Steel director told the Business and Trade Committee on Tuesday that the UK 'absolutely' needs to go faster in supporting the steel industry in response to US tariffs.
Russell Codling, director of markets, business development and commercial services at Tata said: 'It is not just for us making sure that this deal (with the US) is the right deal, it is also about making sure that the trade protection measures are the appropriate ones in the UK, and they are at least as good as other trading partners around the world.'
When asked if the UK needs to go faster on the issue, Mr Codling said: 'Absolutely.'
The same committee also heard from leaders in other sectors that have been affected by the tariff arrangements, including car manufacturing.
An industry figure told the MPs that motoring firms would 'of course' like the 100,000 quota for a 10% tariff on car imports into the US to be higher.
The Government is engaging intensively with the US to implement the Economic Prosperity Deal that we agreed on May 8 at pace, including on steel and aluminium, and will update on progress in due course Government spokesperson
Murray Paul, public affairs director at Jaguar Land Rover said: 'Of course we'd prefer for it to be higher.
'But I think if we're honest it's there or thereabouts what the current market volume is of producing from the UK into the US.
'We are expectant that it's administered fairly, that if there's a small amount of pain that that is distributed equally amongst British manufacturers of goods.
'Obviously, we would like it to grow in the future because we think there's a growth opportunity in the US market as the incredible cars that we produce in this country are admired around the world.'
A Government spokesperson said: 'Ministers and officials have worked tirelessly to ensure that the UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US, helping us deliver on the Plan for Change.
'The Government is engaging intensively with the US to implement the Economic Prosperity Deal that we agreed on May 8 at pace, including on steel and aluminium, and will update on progress in due course.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Royal Ascot backs next generation of hat-makers from King's charity
Ahead of this month's world-famous meet, known as much for its colourful and creative displays of headwear as the horseracing, Ascot has introduced a £10,000 annual bursary to support a King's Foundation and Chanel graduating millinery student. Daniel McAuliffe, education director at The King's Foundation said: 'The royal family are incredible ambassadors for the craft of millinery and as the King's charity we are proud to be supporting the future of this skill at the most iconic hat-wearing event of the year.' The Foundation's students will also be showcasing their hats at this year's Royal Ascot, which runs from June 17-21, with a special display for racegoers in the Queen Anne Enclosure on the Berkshire course. The Chanel and The King's Foundation Metiers d'Art Millinery Fellowship in Partnership with le19M, Chanel's creative hub for artisans in Paris, was launched in 2024 with a cohort of six students. The intensive programme aims to develop a network of young specialist milliners in the UK, with the support of Parisian hat-maker Maison Michel at le19M. It forms part of The King's Foundation's wider work, inspired by Charles's passion for protecting traditional heritage skills at risk of being lost. Future students joining the millinery course will also be tasked with designing a Royal Ascot-inspired hat, with one selected to feature in the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective from 2026 onwards as its 11th design. The collective, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is an annual presentation of 10 bespoke designs created exclusively for Royal Ascot under the creative direction of British fashion designer Daniel Fletcher. Mr McAuliffe added: 'This is such a fantastic opportunity for our talented millinery students as they begin to build their businesses. 'We are delighted to be working with Ascot and our long-term partners Chanel and le19M to recognise the importance of the British tradition of millinery.' Felicity Barnard, Ascot Racecourse's chief executive, said: 'Exquisite hats and millinery masterpieces are woven into the very fabric of Royal Ascot's heritage and we are committed to preserving and celebrating this tradition for generations to come.'
BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
LTA promises equal prize money at Queen's by 2029
The LTA has pledged to introduce equal prize money at Queen's and Eastbourne by no later than total prize fund for the WTA event at Queen's Club - which begins on Monday - will be $1.415m (£1.043m), with the LTA voluntarily increasing the standard prize money by a that still comes nowhere near the amount the men will be paid for competing at the same venue the following prize money levels are set by the tours, and the ATP tournament will offer a total prize fund of 2.522m euros (£2.122m).Queen's Club is hosting a women's tournament for the first time since 1973, with Britons Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter set to compete. Both the men's and women's events are '500' category tournaments - the third-highest tier after the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 ATP event at Queen's has already sold out, while just over 80% of the tickets have so far been bought for the women's prices are lower in the WTA week, which will not yet be able to raise anything like the revenue of the long established men's spent on prize money cannot also be spent on developing grassroots tennis in the UK, and the LTA says the summer events lost a total of £4m last LTA's promise to introduce equal prize money by 2029 is four years before the deadline set by the WTA. While the WTA says major combined events should have equal prize money by 2027, standalone events - which the Queen's week technically is - have until is a combined '250' event, and will feature both men and women in the week before Wimbledon. The women's prize money is $389,000 (£286,650) - making it the highest-paying tournament of that size on the tour this year - while the men will share 756,875 euros (£637,000)."The LTA is committed to growing women's tennis, both at professional and grass-roots level and this move is an important part of that commitment," said LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd."This year fans will be able to enjoy both men's and women's tennis on the biggest stages that we can offer."We want to develop the tournaments so that the women's events deliver a path to profitability and greater visibility for the sport."
BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
Patients will suffer if Addenbrooke's cuts go ahead, staff say
An NHS hospital worker who took part in a demonstration against planned job cuts has warned the cuts could lead to clinics being to 500 non-clinical roles at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge are at risk after the government told it to cut the cost of its support functions to 2022 Robinson orders parts for "every vital piece of equipment" and said his job was "just as important as every other administrative role". The hospital said it needed to take difficult but necessary decisions to continue to "meet the needs of our patients now and in the future". The demonstration of Unite the Union members took place at the hospital during the workers' lunch break on University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which runs Addenbrooke's, announced the proposed job losses at the end of in areas including finance, communication and administration are Robinson, who works in the administrative section of the clinical engineering team, said it was his job to order spare parts for broken equipment."We're responsible for all the important stuff such as ventilators and heart monitors - everything that keeps you alive," he said. "If there's a delay in getting things back into service, appointments could be cancelled, clinics could get cancelled." Porter Paul Hardingham is a team leader in the "very busy" emergency department, responsible for getting patients to wards "in a timely manner"."We are a vital role, without us you could add [wait] times on and that's not good enough for patients," he said. "The patient has to wait long enough to see a doctor or nurse, we don't want to see them waiting for porters to get them settled into wards."Unite regional officer Richard Gates said: "There's a real fear for those whose jobs are going, but also for those who are left and patients."If you haven't got the support staff, it's more demand on the frontline."A CUH spokesperson said the proposed cuts amounted to about 4% of its total 13,000 workforce."We appreciate it is a worrying and uncertain time for many colleagues working in the NHS," they said. "We are taking all possible steps to minimise redundancies, through natural turnover by not recruiting to posts when staff leave, holding vacancies empty and a mutually agreed resignation scheme."A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson previously said: "We are investing an extra £26bn in health and care, but that investment must be met by reform to turn around the NHS from the worst crisis in its history." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
