‘Discussions continue' over US steel tariffs deal ahead of deadline, says No 10
The UK has already managed to negotiate a deal with the US which eliminates the threat of tariffs to British car and aeroplane manufacturers.
But a reprieve for the steel industry is yet to be finalised, leaving open the threat that the current 25% tariff rate could rise to 50% after the July 9 deadline.
Mr Trump is reportedly stepping up pressure on countries who could soon be subject to the tariffs, urging them to negotiate trade deals with the US.
But amid signs of confusion within the US administration, trade secretary Howard Lutnick has suggested America's trade partners will see the levies begin on August 9, after receiving a letter outlining them on July 9.
Asked if the Government was confident a deal would be reached on UK steel, a No 10 spokesman said: 'Our work with the US continues to get this deal implemented as soon as possible.
'That will remove the 25% tariff on UK steel and aluminium, making us the only country in the world to have tariffs removed on these products.
'The US agreed to remove tariffs on these products as part of our agreement on May 8. It reiterated that again at the G7 last month. The discussions continue, and will continue to do so.'
Pressed again whether ministers were confident British producers would not be hit by the 50% tariff, the Downing Street spokesman said: 'As I say, discussions continue.
'We have very close engagement with the US, and the US has been clear that it wants to keep talking to us to get the best deal for businesses and consumers on both sides.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
13 minutes ago
- ITV News
Trump to be hosted by King at Windsor during unprecedented second state visit in September
Donald Trump will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle during his unprecedented second state visit to the UK in September. The US president will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, on his state visit to the UK from September 17 to 19, Buckingham Palace said. This will be Trump's second state visit to the UK – an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader. It follows his first state visit in 2019. The House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Trump's visit as it will be in recess for party conference season This means the president will not be able to address Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did during his state visit this week. However, the House of Lords will be sitting. In February this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer presented the US president with a letter from the King as he invited him for the visit during a meeting at the White House. As the pair were sat next to each other in the Oval Office, Sir Keir handed the president the personal invitation, later saying 'this is truly historic and unprecedented'. After reading it, Mr Trump said it was a 'great, great honour', adding 'and that says at Windsor – that's really something'. In the letter, Charles suggested he and the president might meet at Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland first before the much grander state visit. However, it is understood that, although all options were explored, there were logistical challenges surrounding an informal visit, with complexities in both the King and Mr Trump's diaries meaning a private meeting was not possible over the course of the summer months. Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama. The late Queen hosted Mr Trump during his first state visit. News of the plans for the September visit comes days after the King wrote to Mr Trump to express his 'profound sadness' after catastrophic flooding killed nearly 90 people in Texas. Charles 'offered his deepest sympathy' to those who lost loved ones over the July Fourth weekend, the British Embassy in Washington said. Back in March, Mr Trump sent the King his 'best wishes' and 'good health' in a phone call with Sir Keir after Charles spent a brief period in hospital after experiencing temporary side effects from his cancer treatment. The September state visit comes after Charles visited Canada back in May where he opened the nation's parliament. Many Canadians saw the King's two-day visit to Ottawa as a symbol of support for the country that has faced the unwanted attention of Mr Trump's trade war against his neighbour and threats to annex Canada. This week, French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte were hosted by the King and Queen during his three-day state visit. Mr Macron's itinerary included a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle, a carriage ride through the historic Berkshire town and a ceremonial welcome. The state dinner was attended by the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prime Minister and senior members of the Cabinet.
The Herald Scotland
15 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
More memories of the great Glen Michael
Not only did it have cartoon versions of Spidey and the FF, Glen also brought his pet pooch Rusti to the TV studio, and provided a voice for his magical talking lamp, Paladin. On social media many are grieving the telly titan's passing, with one ardent fan reminiscing: 'Still remember a birthday card signed by Glen, Rusti and Paladin, when I was a kid. Never questioned how a lamp or dog could sign…' Not now, Bernard WE have a sneaky suspicion that Peter Wright from West Kilbride isn't the most ardent fan of a certain leftwing firebrand of British politics. We're talking about Jeremy Bernard Corbyn, of course. (Yup, Bernard is, indeed, Jezza's middle name, as we discovered after many hours of diligent investigative reporting, i.e. we googled it.) The one-time leader of the Labour Party, now gnarled backbench grouch, is forging a new political party, along with his youthful sidekick, Zarah Sultana. Says Peter: 'I can help Jeremy with a name for his new party… Deform. 'And my money is on Zarah Sultana taking on the portfolio for currant affairs.' In Deeside Gordon Casely spotted a motorist whose registration seems to have been inspired by a popular ballet skirt (Image: Reader picture) Shedding hard graft HOW things have changed with advances in technology, points out Tony Rayner from Falkirk. 'I used to sneak off to my shed at the bottom of the garden and complete woodwork projects,' Tony recalls. 'Now I sneak off to my shed at the bottom of the garden and watch YouTube videos of other people completing woodwork projects.' Golf course trek SPORTS fan Jim Morrison was watching the golf on TV recently when he noticed that the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, was playing with Oban-raised Bob Macintyre and fellow superstar, Adam Scott. 'I wondered,' says Jim, 'if anyone happened to say 'beam me up' to them…' Brought to book THE publication of the fourth book by the best-selling author of The Salt Path has been delayed, following media conjecture about Raynor Winn's private life. Reader Yvonne Skinner wonders if the next memoir Raynor publishes will describe her current travails, and be titled… Salt in the Wounds. Relative values WARM-hearted reader Colin McDougall tells us: 'I love my stepladder, though I never knew my real ladder.'
The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
India proposes 20C lower limit for air conditioners to save energy
India's government is seeking to limit temperature settings on new air conditioners to save electricity in what is considered the fastest-growing market for them. The power minister has proposed a rule requiring air conditioners sold in the country to have thermostats that can be set no lower than 20C. Indian officials hope the restriction will create massive energy savings in the country of over 1.4 billion people. Between 10 and 15 million air conditioners are sold in India annually as incomes and urbanisation increase along with the temperatures. The current lowest setting is 17C. Officials say each degree an air conditioner is turned up saves about 6 per cent on energy. Proposed change draws mixed reaction Energy experts say the proposal is a positive step but that requiring units to be more energy efficient will help more. Power minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed rule would take effect soon but wasn't specific about timing. The proposal has received mixed reviews from people living in India's sweltering cities. 'Overall, I think it's good to try and save energy but at the same time I hope the government makes sure people are not too inconvenienced,' said Vikram Kannan, 37, a teacher from the humid southern city of Chennai. 'Sometimes there's no choice but to set a low air conditioner temperature in cities like Chennai because it's just way too hot and humid. My daughter gets heat pimples at times if we don't do this.' Air conditioners are fast becoming some of the biggest energy guzzlers in India. Room air conditioners accounted for nearly a quarter of the electricity consumed during periods of highest usage in 2024, a measure known as peak demand, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. New AC units added between 2019 and 2024 increased India's peak demand by an amount roughly equivalent to what it would take to power New Delhi for a year, they estimated. Energy demand is typically highest during summer months when temperatures can reach 51C in parts of the country. If changes aren't made, India is expected to have power shortages by next year. India's hunger for energy is also a key reason the country is one of the highest emitters of planet-heating gases. Clean energy use is growing but most of India's electricity is provided by climate-polluting fossil fuels such as coal. Nikit Abhyankar, a leader of the India Energy and Climate Center at the University of California, Berkley, said that Delhi, like other major Indian cities, was now experiencing dual peaks in electricity use – one in the afternoon and another around midnight – driven largely by air conditioners. While solar energy can help offset daytime demand, nighttime cooling still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Rule changes can nudge consumers to use less energy The air conditioner proposal is the latest in a series of government measures over the past decade aimed at saving energy, such as mandating that government offices be cooled at no less than 24C. In 2022, the government launched the Mission Life programme that encouraged people to reduce emissions by cutting electricity use or skipping unnecessary car trips. The initiative announced with much fanfare received mixed responses. Some people are supportive of the proposed change to air conditioner settings. Sunil Kumar, 47, from East Delhi, said that the rule could prevent fire hazards and lower bills. ' People used to live without air conditioners. We can adjust,' Mr Kumar, who makes a living driving an autorickshaw in the city, said. Surjeet Singh, a businessman in Delhi, said turning air conditioners down to their current lowest setting was 'unnecessary'. 'People have gotten too comfortable,' he said, suggesting that cities could invest in planting trees to tackle urban heat. Indian air conditioners are inefficient Mr Abhyankar argued that while changing temperature settings could help, requiring ACs to be energy efficient would do more. 'Tightening the minimum efficiency standards can change things pretty significantly,' Mr Abhyankar, who has also studied the energy sector in the US, China, Indonesia and Vietnam, said. Calling the proposed rule a 'step in the right direction,' Pramod Singh, energy savings expert with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy in Delhi, said replacing India's estimated 80 million older-generation inefficient air conditioners was a key challenge for the government. Many units available in India were so inefficient they couldn't be sold in many other countries, Abhyankar said. 'Although India imports most key components for its air conditioners from China, nearly 80 per cent of air conditioners that are currently sold in India would be banned in China,' he said. Energy experts say other small changes can reduce energy use and customer costs, like making sure all new buildings are adequately ventilated, combining ACs with other cooling methods and using smart technologies to run them. 'Air conditioner use reduces significantly if users also run their ceiling fans, as the room cools much faster,' Mr Abhyankar explained.
