UK industry was on Tuesday exempted from a doubling of US steel and aluminium tariffs by Donald Trump, as British bosses urged Sir Keir Starmer to work quickly to implement a trade pact that would cut the levies to zero.
The surprise move by the Trump administration to hand Britain a carve-out from its latest tariff increases provided some respite for the prime minister, who is facing mounting frustration from industry over delays to implementing the US-UK trade accord.
Announcing the new tariffs via an executive order, Trump said the UK would escape a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium “to allow for the implementation of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal” — but British metal producers will contend with a 25 per cent tax until the pact takes effect.