THE US has left Britain reeling after hitting manufacturers with import tariffs on a huge amount of goods.
Shampoo, washing machines and kids’ highchairs are just a few of the items slapped with tariffs.
Donald Trump in the White House in Washington, DC, August 18[/caption]
Starmer and Trump agreed a trade deal in May[/caption]
The White House quietly imposed tariffs of up to 25 per cent on more than 400 new categories of goods that contain steel or aluminium.
British manufacturers have been blindsided in the move which will be “very damaging to British industry”.
Motorbike manufacturers and construction machine companies like JCB have been hit especially hard.
It comes after the UK and US agreed a “breakthrough” trade deal in May.
This included cutting a 25 per cent tariff rate on British steel and aluminium exports to zero.
But the completion of the deal is facing delays.
The Times reported that the Trump administration is concerned that some British steel exports include products that are not “melted and poured” in the UK.
The UK government said: “Thanks to our trade deal with the US, the UK is still the only country to have avoided 50 per cent steel and aluminium tariffs, but we are committed to going further to give industry the security they need, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets.
“We will continue to work with the US to get this deal implemented as soon as possible and in the industry’s best interests.”
A clumsy Donald Trump dropped several key US-UK trade documents moments after putting pen to paper on the major deal.
Trump showed off the transatlantic agreement alongside Sir Keir Starmer as he told The Sun the UK will be “very well protected” in the future as he likes Brits.
The US President insisted it was a “fair deal for both” as he proudly flashed the signed agreement at the G7 summit in Canada.
The terms of the deal mean cars will be subject to a 10 per cent levy rather than the 25 per cent and bringing surcharges on the aerospace sector to zero.
But it a deal on steel tariffs, currently at 25 per cent, is still being negotiated by the two sides.
The US leader added that information would come in a “little while”.
The President said the UK would be safe from future levies when pressed by The Sun following the signing.
Mr Trump said: “The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them.”
He also added that the deal will bring “a lot of jobs, a lot of income”.
The UK has held a series of talks with the US since Mr Trump imposed punishing tariffs on the UK and other countries on April 2.
Sir Keir said that the agreement was a “sign of strength” between the two nations.
Trump lavished praise on the PM saying “We’re friends”.
The terms of the historic May deal meant British car makers will have their tariffs knocked back from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent for the first 100,000 of vehicles sent across the Atlantic — close to the exact amount of annual exports.
JLR ships around a quarter of its vehicles to the US every year and was facing millions in extra export costs that threatened the factory’s livelihood.
JLR boss Adrian Mardell said at the time: “The car industry is vital to the UK’s prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. We warmly welcome this deal.”
Luxury car brand Aston Martin saw its shares jump by 14 per cent.
But farmers weren’t happy over ethanol imports and more machinery, chemicals and beef, although food standards will remain.
A clumsy Donald Trump dropped several key US-UK trade documents moments after putting pen to paper on the major deal[/caption]
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