THE Government “has prepared for all scenarios”, a Cabinet minister has said, as questions about President-elect Donald Trump‘s tariffs loom large ahead of the inauguration today.
Reaction from the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said “we need to see what the Trump administration do” but also that Mr Trump is “well known for wanting to do a good deal”. Meanwhile, a shadow minister has urged the Government to resume talks over a free trade deal, given the concerns over tariffs.
President-elect Trump will be sworn in to a second term in office today, following his election victory in November, and there have been concerns over what his pledged tariffs could mean for economies around the globe. When asked about tariffs, Mr Jones told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Well, look, as you would expect, the Government has prepared for all scenarios.
“They’re hypothetical at this stage, we need to see what the Trump administration do.”
Mr Jones also said the UK and US are “strongly intertwined”, regardless of who is in the White House. Asked if he was worried about resentment between the two sides with the change of government approaching, he said: “No. Obviously the UK and the US has a long and deep-rooted relationship.
We’ve got lots of great assets, lots of great capabilities. What we say in the world matters and our economy, our security, our defence, our values are strongly intertwined with the Americans irrespective of who their president is.
Reaction from the shadow foreign secretary
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel is in Washington on behalf of the Conservative Party. Ms Patel said it is “absolutely vital” that transatlantic trade deal talks get back under way. She told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I think this Government, the Labour Government … Keir Starmer and David Lammy, should resume talks over a free trade deal. We set the work in motion when we were last in government.
“When it comes to tariffs, that is not conducive at all to economic growth and prosperity, let alone economic security.
“Trade discussions must resume. I think that’s absolutely vital, because it’s only through having honest discussions about a trade agreement, will these issues come to the fore.”
