Reynolds agrees need for ‘urgent next steps' with bioethanol firms over US deal
Representatives of ABF Sugar and Ensus said Jonathan Reynolds had committed to act within 'days, not weeks' amid concerns hundreds of jobs could be at risk.
The Government is 'open to discussion' of potential options to support the industry, the Department for Business and Trade said.
The agreement between London and Washington includes a UK concession to cut British tariffs on US ethanol, which is used to produce beer and as a fuel additive, from 19% to 0%.
ABF Sugar and Ensus, the two main firms producing UK bioethanol – a form of renewable energy produced from agricultural materials – have said the deal could lead to the closure of the country's two biggest plants.
Mr Reynolds met representatives from both companies and local MPs on Wednesday for talks about the agreement.
In a joint statement, ABF Sugar chief executive Paul Kenward and Ensus chairman Grant Pearson said: 'We had a constructive discussion today with the Secretary of State and local MPs.
'We were pleased that the Secretary of State recognised the strategic importance of the UK bioethanol industry and acknowledged the urgency of the situation, with a commitment to act in days, not weeks.
'We will continue to engage closely and constructively with Government over the coming days to help secure a positive outcome for the industry, our workers and the communities we support.'
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: '(The Business Secretary) made clear that the Government is working closely with the industry to understand the impacts on those companies and is open to discussion over potential options for support.
'The Business Secretary agreed to work alongside Cabinet colleagues to look into the issue further and explore putting a process in place to protect future UK production of bioethanol.
'Both sides acknowledged the significance of the sector, and the need for urgent next steps.
'The Business Secretary reiterated the merits of the deal, which will protect thousands of jobs across key sectors – from farming to pharmaceuticals – and lay the groundwork for greater trade in the future.'
Mr Kenward and Mr Pearson told The Times earlier this week that the facilities in Salt End, East Yorkshire, and Wilton, Teesside, would be at risk and the UK industry faced an 'existential threat' after the deal.
Under the trade agreement, the first of its kind to be struck by the new Trump administration, the White House agreed to ease some of its sweeping tariffs for industries like cars and steel.
It removed the 25% tariff rate on UK steel and aluminium exports, reducing the trade barrier for these goods to zero, while American levies on British cars fall to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported.
Both sides have said the details of the deal will be worked out in the weeks ahead.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
McDonald's new food and drinks menu for June 2025- full list
The June menu will bring both sweet and savoury treats to the fast food chain's restaurants nationwide. Some items are new to McDonald's while others have been available before and are returning for summer. From the new and returning items to when you can buy them and customer reaction, here's everything we know about the new McDonald's menu. A new Big Arch burger is making its way to restaurants and will be available to buy for £7.99 on its own or £9.99 as a medium meal. A large meal will cost £10.79. The new burger consists of two 100% British and Irish beef patties, white cheddar cheese slices, crispy onions, fresh onions, shredded lettuce, crunchy pickles and a generous layer of signature Big Arch sauce. The new Big Arch sauce is rich and creamy, the fast food chain explains. If you'd like to treat yourself to something sweet, you can look out for the new Toffee Crisp McFlurry - soft dairy ice cream with Toffee Crisp pieces and toffee sauce (£2.39). Alternatively, you can choose the new Toffee Apple Pie, a crispy pastry filled with a rich toffee flavour (£2.09). The new menu will see some new Toffee Crisp items and some returning savoury treats (Image: McDonald's) Returning to the McDonald's menu for June is the Cheesy McCrispy which consists of a 100% chicken breast fillet in a crispy coating served with lettuce, crispy onions, pink pickled onion chutney, bacon, Emmental cheese and deluxe cheese sauce. A Cheesy McCrispy burger on its own will cost £6.69 or you can make it a medium meal for £8.49. A large meal will set you back £9.29. Halloumi Fries are also returning to the summer menu with a Sweet Chilli Dip included. A box of four will cost £2.99 while a Sharebox will cost you £7.59. The Katsu Chicken One wrap is staying on the menu at McDonald's. If you haven't tried it yet, you can expect a wrap with either crispy or grilled chicken (you choose), coated in katsu sauce with crispy onions, cucumber and fresh lettuce, wrapped in a warm, toasted tortilla. If you buy the Katsu wrap by itself, it will cost you £3.49 or £2.29 if it's the wrap of the day. Make it a medium meal and it'll set you back £5.29. Deliveroo Plus is now offering McDonald's food with some offers available - from Monday, June 2 until Sunday, June 15 you can get 6-piece Chicken McNuggets for free when you spend £15 (available daily from 11am–5am). From Monday, June 2 until – Sunday, June 8, you can spend £10+ via McDelivery and enjoy a free Breakfast Wrap, available from 11am daily. When you spend £15+, you can also bag a free Big Mac. On TikTok, people shared their reactions to others trying the burger early. With some countries already having it on their menu, some told other people their own experiences. One said: 'tried it in disneyland paris on the weekend & it was LUSHHHH'. Another person said the new burger 'looks unreal'. Recommended reading: New 'iconic' McDonald's burger with the 'most loaded bite we've ever served' What's on the McDonald's menu for breakfast (and when you can get it) McDonald's discontinues 'best' menu item leaving fans asking 'how can I complain' Reacting to someone trying the burger in Canada last year, one said: 'it looks so yummmmy!!!' while another commented: 'Ok brb (be right back) heading to McDonald's 😂'. McDonald's customers can buy items from the new June menu from Wednesday, June 18. The menu will be available for a limited time only, so be sure to try it out before it goes.
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Abbott calls Starmer's immigration comments ‘fundamentally racist' at rally
Thousands of trade unionists, campaigners and activists gathered to 'send a message' to the Government at a demonstration over spending cuts and welfare reform in central London on Saturday. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Ms Abbott were among those who gave speeches at the rally outside Downing Street following a march. Organisers The People's Assembly accused the Government of making spending cuts that target the poorest in society. The Prime Minister said the UK risked becoming 'an island of strangers' when he unveiled plans for tighter controls on immigration in a major speech last month, leading to a mixed reaction from different parties. Addressing the protest crowd in Whitehall, Ms Abbott – who was previously suspended by Labour in 2023 before being allowed to run in last year's general election – said there was an international struggle to 'fight the rich and the powerful (and) to fight the racists', including in her own party. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP said: 'I was very disturbed to hear Keir Starmer on the subject of immigration. 'He talked about closing the book on a squalid chapter for our politics – immigrants represent a squalid chapter. 'He talked about how he thought immigration has done incalculable damage to this green and pleasant land, which, of course, is nonsense – immigrants built this land. 'And, finally, he said we risk becoming an island of strangers. 'I thought that was a fundamentally racist thing to say. It is contrary to Britain's history. 'My parents came to this country in the 50s. They were not strangers. They helped to build this country. 'I think Keir Starmer is quite wrong to say that the way that you beat Reform is to copy Reform.' Reform's leader Nigel Farage previously said his party 'very much enjoyed' Sir Keir's speech, as it showed he was 'learning a great deal' from them. Representatives from the National Education Union, Revolutionary Communist Party, Green Party and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union could be seen at the demonstration's start point in Portland Place. The large crowd then set off towards Whitehall shortly before 1pm. Many of the protesters were holding placards that read 'Tax the rich, stop the cuts – welfare not warfare'. Other signs being held aloft said 'Nurses not nukes' and 'Cut war, not welfare'. Mr Corbyn, who also criticised Sir Keir's 'island of strangers' comments, told protesters at the rally: 'As the wars rage around the world – the killing fields in Ukraine and Russia, the abominable, deliberate starvation of children in Gaza and the genocide that's inflicted against the Palestinian people continues – surely to goodness we need a world of peace. 'We need a world of peace that will come through the vision of peace, the vision of disarmament and the vision of actually challenging the causes of war, which leads to the desperation and the refugee flows of today.' The Independent MP for Islington North urged protesters to 'go forward as a movement of hope, of what we can achieve together (and) the society we can build together'. The People's Assembly said trade unionists, health, disability, housing and welfare campaigners with community organisations came together for the protest under the slogan 'No to Austerity2.0'. A spokesperson said: 'The adherence to 'fiscal rules' traps us in a public service funding crisis, increasing poverty, worsening mental health and freezing public sector pay. 'Scrapping winter fuel payments, keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap, abandoning Waspi women, cutting £5 billion of welfare by limiting Pip and universal credit eligibility, and slashing UK foreign aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP, while increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, are presented as 'tough choices'. 'Real tough choices would be for a Labour government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman
Zia Yusuf is returning to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as party chairman, claiming his resignation was a 'mistake'. The 38-year-old businessman said his decision to stand down had been the result of 'exhaustion' and working for 11 months 'without a day off'. Party leader Nigel Farage, speaking to the Sunday Times newspaper alongside Mr Yusuf, said the former chairman will now effectively be doing 'four jobs', though his title has not yet been decided. He will lead Reform's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The ex-chairman will also take part in policymaking, fundraising and media appearances. Mr Yusuf said he was quitting Reform following the latest in a series of internal rows, in which he described a question to the Prime Minister concerning a ban on burkas from his party's newest MP as 'dumb'. Announcing his resignation on Thursday afternoon, he said: 'I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.' Mr Yusuf said he had been left feeling undervalued by some in the party and drained after being subjected to relentless racist abuse on X, and made the comments in 'error'. 'I spoke to Nigel and said I don't mind saying I made an error. It was a function of exhaustion,' he said. Asked about the row over talk of banning the burka, Mr Yusuf said he 'certainly did not resign because I have any strong views about the burqa itself' but felt blindsided by Sarah Pochin's question to Sir Keir Starmer. He said that 'if there were a vote and I was in parliament, I would probably vote to ban it actually' but that 'philosophically I am always a bit uneasy about banning things which, for example, would be unconstitutional in the United States, which such a ban no doubt would be'. Reform will hope the show of unity between Mr Farage and the former chairman is enough to quell concerns about internal personality clashes, amid recent scrutiny of the leader's fallings out with former allies. It follows the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe from the party following complaints about his conduct, which he denied, and suggested the leader had a tendency to row with colleagues he felt threatened by. Labour branded Mr Yusuf's return a 'humiliating hokey-cokey' and said working people could not afford 'the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK'. Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: 'Reform's revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage. 'Zia Yusuf's humiliating hokey-cokey is laughable but there is nothing funny about Farage's £80 billion in unfunded commitments. 'His reckless plan is Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget on steroids and would spark economic chaos that increases bills and mortgages. 'Working people simply can't afford the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK.'
