Number 10 is in meltdown after Trump unveiled 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. Downing Street isn’t ruling out retaliation should Trump follow through on tariffs on the UK, whilst EU minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has insisted today Starmer doesn’t need to choose between the UK and Brussels in a trade war, claiming: “It’s perfectly possible to cuddle with more than one person at the same time.” Though there is another way to avoid those tariffs…
Tory MP Julian Lewis put trade minister Douglas Alexander on the spot today in the Commons, asking if the UK would scrap the disastrous Chagos surrender deal—a move that Trump’s team already isn’t thrilled about—in exchange for tariff relief:
“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?”
The minister didn’t rule it out:
“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…we should leave those in the good offices of the UK ambassador to the United States (Lord Mandelson) and the Foreign Secretary (David Lammy).”
Not a denial. So, the government could scrap a bad deal, save taxpayers’ billions, protect British territory and avoid tariffs—all in one go. Even if Attorney General Hermer thinks the special relationship has been over for years, there’s still time to prove him wrong…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”