UK not selecting between US and EU, says Keir Starmer

The UK is “not selecting between the US and the EU”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated after President Donald Trump threatened the European Union with commerce tariffs.

Over the weekend, Trump introduced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and stated he would take comparable motion towards the EU however urged a deal might be “labored out” with the UK.

Requested if he could be keen to water down makes an attempt to forge nearer ties with the EU in change for maintaining the US on facet, Sir Keir stated each relationships have been essential to the UK.

“Now, that for me is not new, I feel that is at all times been the case and would be the case for a lot of, a few years to come back,” he added.

The prime minister informed a press convention in Brussels it was “early days” when it got here to tariff talks with the US and that he backed “open and powerful buying and selling relations”.

Sir Keir was in Belgium to satisfy the Nato secretary normal Mark Rutte and can later attend talks with EU leaders – the primary PM to take action since Brexit.

Requested about tensions between the US and the EU, Rutte stated there have been “at all times points between allies” however that might “not get in the way in which of our collective willpower to maintain our deterrent sturdy”.

On Ukraine, he stated Nato – the army alliance of western nations – needed to “not solely maintain however proceed to step up our help” to make sure Ukraine can negotiate with Russia from “a place of power”.

He added that spending 2% of nationwide earnings on defence was “not sufficient to maintain us protected” and that there was “no time to waste” in boosting funding.

At present Nato asks each member nation to spend a least 2% of GDP on defence, nevertheless it’s thought solely 23 of the 32 members meet the goal.

Sir Keir stated the UK at present spends 2.3% and that his authorities would shortly be setting out “the trail” in the direction of reaching a 2.5%.

The main focus of his Brussels journey is defence and safety co-operation, nevertheless for Sir Keir additionally it is a part of an ongoing bid to “reset” UK-EU relations in areas equivalent to commerce.

The UK authorities desires to forge stronger hyperlinks with the EU however that would anger the US and threat the UK getting caught up in a commerce struggle. Equally the EU may object to Sir Keir siding with the US relatively than its European neighbours.

Earlier, No 10 stated the prime minister trusted Trump and pointed to “a extremely constructive early set of conversations” between the 2 males.

“We have a good and balanced buying and selling relationship which advantages each side of the Atlantic,” the spokesman added.

“It is value round £300bn and we’re one another’s single largest traders, with £1.2tn invested in one another’s economies.”

Following Trump’s tariffs bulletins over the weekend, European and Asian inventory markets fell, with automobile producers notably badly hit.

The UK was additionally impacted however to a lesser impact than the EU.

Evaluation produced final 12 months by the College of Sussex urged the UK may face a £22bn hit to exports if the US imposed a blanket 20% tariff on all imports.

The highest items exported from the UK to the US embrace automobiles, medicinal and pharmaceutical merchandise and mechanical energy mills.

Trump believes imposing tariffs will assist develop the US financial system and shield jobs, nevertheless it may result in customers paying extra as costs alter to the taxes.

On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated the imposition of the 25% tariffs had been delayed after reaching an settlement with the US which might see her nation deploy 10,000 troops to sort out drug trafficking into the US.

Nevertheless, different nations responded angrily with Canada instantly asserting retaliatory tariffs of 25%.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that if EU pursuits have been attacked, the buying and selling bloc must “make itself revered and thus react”.

EU overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas stated: “There are not any winners in commerce wars.”

If there’s a commerce struggle with the US, “then the one laughing on the facet is China”, she added.

Requested if he would put tariffs on the UK, President Tump stated: “UK is out of line however I am certain that one… I feel that one could be labored out.”

He added that his discussions with the British prime minister had “been very good” including: “We have had a few conferences. We have had quite a few cellphone calls. We’re getting alongside very nicely.”

Whereas the main target of the Brussels summit is defence, the UK additionally desires to debate easing restrictions on the commerce of meals and animal merchandise and cooperation on emission buying and selling schemes.

The mutual recognition {of professional} {qualifications} and permitting touring musicians to journey extra simply are additionally areas of curiosity.

The EU is eager to arrange a youth mobility scheme, which might make it simpler for younger EU residents to check and work within the UK and vice versa. Nevertheless, ministers have to date rejected the thought.

Downing Road has not dominated out becoming a member of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Conference, which might enable tariff-free commerce on some items.

The Conservatives have accused the federal government of “attempting to reopen the divisions of the previous and edge us again into the EU”.

In distinction, Liberal Democrat chief Sir Ed Davey has been urging the federal government to barter a brand new UK-EU customs union, permitting tariff-free commerce between the 2 sides.

Following the tariff bulletins, Sir Ed stated the US president was “performing like a playground bully” and that the UK ought to “work with our allies within the Commonwealth and Europe to face sturdy towards Trump”.