UK timeline for US deal is too ambitious
Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a statement on Defence spending at Downing Street on February 25, 2025 in London, England. Earlier today Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a commitment to increase the UK's defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, along with the goal of increasing it to 3% during the next parliament. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS
LONDON: Prime Minister Keir Starmer would need President Donald Trump to be 'extraordinarily generous' to meet his ambition of finalising the UK-US tariff deal in two weeks, according to Britain's former top trade negotiator.
Crawford Falconer, who led British trade negotiations until late last year, cast doubts on the UK government's efforts to settle remaining issues within a fortnight.
While Starmer and Trump announced the so-called Economic Prosperity Deal to great fanfare in early May, numerous details have yet to be finalised.
'My assumption is that they're expecting the United States to be extraordinarily generous and understanding toward them,' Falconer told Bloomberg News.
'Because otherwise I think it would take longer than two weeks.'
That assessment will come as a blow to Starmer as he tries to seize on the United Kingdom's status as the first country to agree to a trade deal with Trump this year.
Last Tuesday, the White House ramped up the pressure, giving the United Kingdom five weeks to resolve outstanding issues or risk a doubling of US tariffs on British steel and aluminium imports to 50%.
Trump's tariffs are already weighing on the United Kingdom's beleaguered steel industry, with some manufacturers saying American orders have dried up.
Starmer dismissed concerns in Parliament last Wednesday, telling lawmakers he expected a resolution within a 'couple of weeks'. — Bloomberg
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