Latest news with #Jonathan Reynolds
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Labour admits Brexit helped UK get better trade deal with Trump as EU leaders say he ‘ate von der Leyen for breakfast'
LABOUR has conceded that Brexit Britain helped secure a better trade deal with America than Brussels. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds insisted there was 'absolutely no doubt' the UK was better off being separated from the European Union. 1 The comments come as EU products heading Stateside will be subject to a 15 per cent levy while UK goods will only face a 10 per cent surcharge. He told Sky News: 'All of the trade negotiations that we've got use the fact that we are not part of the customs union anymore, I'm absolutely clear of that. I think we can make the best of that.' When asked if he would label it as a benefit to exiting the EU, he said: 'I'm absolutely clear, I've said in Parliament many times, this is a benefit of being out of the European Union, having our independent trade policy, absolutely no doubt about that.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said back in April that Brexit had nothing to do with securing a better deal for escaping the worst of Donald Trump's tariffs. Mr Reynolds also said there is "more to do" on UK steel when it comes to the UK-US trade deal. The UK secured zero tariffs on steel but the US hasn't enacted it yet as they have concerns over how it would actually work. He said "it's really important to have the president here" and the visit offers "a chance to do a bit of business". He added: "We were very happy to announce the breakthrough that we had a few months ago in relation to sectors like automotive, aerospace, which are really important to the UK economy. "But we always said it was job saved, but it wasn't job done. There's more to do. "The negotiations have been going on on a daily basis since then. There's a few issues to push a little bit further today. "We won't perhaps have anything to announce a resolution of those talks, but there's some sectors that we still need to resolve, particularly around steel and aluminium, and there's the wider conversation about what the US calls its reciprocal tariffs." Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer have agreed to work together on the deal following their meeting in Scotland, Number 10 said. Meanwhile, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has been blasted over her negotiations for the deal which is worse than the UK pact. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian leader, said: ' Donald Trump ate von der Leyen for breakfast.' France Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said it was a 'dark day' for the submission to the US.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Labour admits BREXIT is to thank for Britain securing a better US trade deal than Europe - as bloc's leaders hit out at their 'badly negotiated' agreement
Brexit is to thank for Britain securing a better trade deal with the US than Europe, Labour admitted yesterday. Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, said there was 'absolutely no doubt' that the UK was better off as a result of having its own trade policy. His comments came after Donald Trump announced he had agreed 'the biggest deal ever made' between the US and the European Union. The agreement will subject the EU to 15per cent tariffs on most of its goods entering America. It is lower than a 30per cent levy previously threatened by the US president - but worse than the UK's deal - and was quickly lambasted by European leaders. After a day playing golf in Scotland yesterday, Mr Trump met the president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the broad terms of an agreement. But Viktor Orban, the Hungarian PM, hit out: 'Donald Trump ate von der Leyen for breakfast'. 'This is what happened and we suspected this would happen as the U.S. president is a heavyweight when it comes to negotiations while Madame President is featherweight.' Former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt branded the deal 'scandalous' and 'badly negotiated', saying there was 'not one concession from the American side'. French prime minister François Bayrou said: 'It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, united to affirm their values and defend their interests, resolves to submission.' And Bernd Lange, the EU Parliament's trade chief, said: 'My first assessment: Not satisfactory. 'This is a lopsided deal. Concessions have clearly been made that are difficult to accept. Deal with significant imbalance. Furthermore lot of questions still open.' But Ms von der Leyen said the deal was 'huge', adding: 'It will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.' Mr Trump said the 'partnership' would 'bring us very close together'. He added: 'I think it's great that we made a deal today instead of playing games and maybe not making a deal at all.' Full details of the deal have not yet been confirmed, and a written text still needs to be agreed. But the agreement is worse than a similar deal struck between the UK and US, which will see tariffs of only 10per cent placed on British exports. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds this morning admitted that the UK's favourable deal was a direct benefit of Brexit. He told Sky News: 'All of the trade negotiations that we've got use the fact that we are not part of the customs union anymore, I'm absolutely clear of that. I think we can make the best of that.' Pressed on whether he would call it a Brexit benefit, he added: 'I'm absolutely clear, I've said in Parliament many times, this is a benefit of being out of the European Union, having our independent trade policy, absolutely no doubt about that.' When the UK and US signed a trade deal in June, it reduced tariffs on car and aerospace imports to the US. But agreement on a similar arrangement for Britain's steel imports was not reached, leaving tariffs on steel at 25per cent. American concerns over steel products made elsewhere in the world, then finished in the UK, are said to be among the sticking points. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to spend most of the day with President Trump on Monday, when he will have a chance to press the president on a steel deal. But Business Secretary Mr Reynolds suggested it may take more than a meeting between the two leaders to resolve the matter, telling BBC Breakfast: 'We were very happy to announce the breakthrough that we had a few months ago in relation to sectors like automotive, aerospace, which are really important to the UK economy. 'But we always said it was job saved, but it wasn't job done. There's more to do. The negotiations have been going on on a daily basis since then. There's a few issues to push a little bit further today. 'We won't perhaps have anything to announce a resolution of those talks, but there's some sectors that we still need to resolve, particularly around steel and aluminium, and there's the wider conversation about what the US calls its reciprocal tariffs.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Donald Trump to meet UK prime minister Keir Starmer in Scotland with trade deal on the agenda
Update: Date: 2025-07-28T09:35:54.000Z Title: Trump and Starmer to meet in Scotland with trade deal on the agenda Content: Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. I'm Tom Ambrose and will be bringing you all the latest news lines over the next few hours. We start with the news that president Donald Trump will host the British prime minister Keir Starmer at his golf resort in western Scotland on Monday for talks ranging from their recent bilateral trade deal to the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, the two governments said. Trump, riding high after announcing a huge trade agreement with the European Union late on Sunday, said he expected Starmer would also be pleased, Reuters reported. 'The prime minister of the UK, while he's not involved in this, will be very happy because you know, there's a certain unity that's been brought there, too,' Trump said. 'He's going to be very happy to see what we did.' Starmer had hoped to negotiate a drop in U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs as part of the talks, but Trump on Sunday ruled out any changes in the 50% steel and aluminium duties for the EU, and has said the trade deal with Britain is 'concluded' British business and trade minister Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC the talks with Trump offered Britain a good chance to advance its arguments, but he did not expect announcements on the issue on Monday. Trump and Starmer were expected to meet at 12pm BST (7am ET) at Trump's luxury golf resort in Turnberry, on Scotland's west coast, before travelling on together later to a second sprawling estate owned by Trump in the east, near Aberdeen, where he is due to arrive at 5.25pm. Hundreds of police officers were guarding the perimeter of the Turnberry course and the beach that flanks it, with a helicopter hovering overhead, although there was no sign of protesters outside the course. Starmer was arriving from Switzerland, where England on Sunday won the women's European football championship final. In other developments: Donald Trump has announced a tariff deal with the European Union to end months of difficult negotiations between Washington and Brussels after meeting the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. 'This is really the biggest trading partnership in the world so we should give it a shot,' the president said before the private meeting started. US House speaker Mike Johnson said he would have 'great pause' about granting a pardon or commutation to Ghislaine Maxwell while Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie said a pardon should be on the table for the jailed Epstein confidante if she were to give helpful information around the Epstein case. A top US medical body has expressed 'deep concern' to Robert F Kennedy Jr over news reports that the health secretary plans to overhaul a panel that determines which preventive health measures, including cancer screenings, should be covered by insurance companies. The letter from the the American Medical Association comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kennedy plans to overhaul the 40-year old US preventive services task force because he regards it as too 'woke', according to sources. Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet on Monday for talks to end hostilities, Thailand said, after pressure from Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Starmer hails ‘historic day' as Modi visits for signing of UK-India trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer told Indian counterpart Narendra Modi the signing of a trade deal was a 'historic day' for the two countries. At the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers, Sir Keir said the deal marked a 'step change' in relations. Mr Modi said they were 'writing a new chapter' in the UK and India's shared history. The deal is set to be worth £6 billion in investment for the British economy and the two leaders have also agreed to increase efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. Sir Keir said: 'I'm really pleased and privileged to welcome you here today on what I consider to be a historic day for both of our countries, and the delivery of the commitment that we made to each other.' Mr Modi, speaking via a translator, described the UK and India as 'natural partners'. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal then formally signed the trade agreement in the great hall of Chequers.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Starmer hails ‘historic day' as Modi visits for signing of UK-India trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer told Indian counterpart Narendra Modi the signing of a trade deal was a 'historic day' for the two countries. At the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers, Sir Keir said the deal marked a 'step change' in relations. Mr Modi said they were 'writing a new chapter' in the UK and India's shared history. The deal is set to be worth £6 billion in investment for the British economy and the two leaders have also agreed to increase efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. Sir Keir said: 'I'm really pleased and privileged to welcome you here today on what I consider to be a historic day for both of our countries, and the delivery of the commitment that we made to each other.' Mr Modi, speaking via a translator, described the UK and India as 'natural partners'. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal then formally signed the trade agreement in the great hall of Chequers.
