Starmer promises not to abandon UK steelworkers after Trump tariff blow
Sir Keir Starmer insisted he would “always put our national interest first” as the Government weighs up its response to Donald Trump’s steel tariffs.
The Prime Minister told MPs the UK would not “abandon” steelworkers amid warnings that the UK steel industry faces a devasting blow when Mr Trump’s 25% tax on imports to the US comes into effect next month.
The European Union has promised to retaliate over US tariffs, but Sir Keir said he is still assessing what the UK response will be.
Hopeful
With Sir Keir hopeful of a visit to see Mr Trump in the coming weeks, the Government will be reluctant to start a trade war with the US.
Sir Keir told MPs: “British steel is an essential part of our heartlands, and we will not abandon our skilled workforce, and it needs a level-headed assessment of the implications, which is what we’re going through at the moment.
“But we will always put our national interest first, and steelworkers first.”
“Devastating blow”
He was responding to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who suggested the UK should retaliate with tariffs on American electric cars – a measure aimed at Mr Trump’s ally and Tesla boss, Elon Musk.
Britain exported 166,433 tonnes of steel to the US in 2023, the last full year for which figures are available.
Figures from trade body UK Steel showed that in 2024 some 162,716 tonnes were sent to the US, but that does not yet include data from December.
UK Steel warned the tariffs “would be a devastating blow to our industry” and accused Mr Trump of taking a “sledgehammer to free trade”.
Mr Trump said the tariffs are “the beginning of making America rich again”.
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Bit late for that in Cymru. But we are Welsh so don’t matter
Would have been nice to be in the grown up club across the channel when dictators like trump start goose stepping around.
Brexit eh.
The UK has significant future challenges with the EU exports as well. ‘Safeguarding’ expires this time next year and the EU is introducing carbon taxes on steel (which is largely why port Talbot is closing blast furnaces at PT)
The EU was largely set up to manage overcapacity in the steel industry. There is still a massive impetus to protect their own internal industry
Time to rejoin then.
Port Talbot steel is Welsh steel. It is not ‘British’ Steel, Mr Starmer, and the USA is now no longer a democratic country. Trump is no different to Putin. Since we cannot rely on USA or Russia then …… There is only one trading bloc in the developed world which is best for Cymru and that is with our European friends – the EU. We must now have a Welsh government that realises our best interests can only be served by joining the European Union, being a member of the customs union, EFTA, EEA. Freedom of movement is a fundamental… Read more »
Follow suit and introduce steel tariffs here to protect domestic production. There are also environmental and national security benefits.