The minister replied: “Tempting though it is to indulge in the hypothetical negotiating strategy as ventriloquised through (Sir Julian), I think consistent with the approach that we need to take a considered view of what is emerging and still emerging in relation to aluminium, I think the responsible case is to say we should leave those in the good offices of the UK ambassador to the United States (Lord Mandelson) and the Foreign Secretary (David Lammy).”.
Sir Julian, the MP for New Forest East, asked: “If President Trump offered to cancel the tariff on steel imports in return for the UK throwing in the dustbin the appalling Chagos giveaway deal, would the Government agree?”.
Taking questions about Donald Trump’s plan for 25% tariffs on British steel exports to the US, Mr Alexander told MPs the US president had a “speciality in generating uncertainty”.
Conservative shadow trade minister Dame Harriett Baldwin, who tabled Tuesday’s urgent question about US steel import tariffs, earlier asked about “what plans the Government has to obtain a big, beautiful free trade agreement with the United States”.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice described UK steelmaking as “uncompetitive” and told MPs: “The threat to the UK steel industry is not actually tariffs from the US but the cost of our electricity.”.
