AN SNP official has said that “even the Taliban got a better US tariff deal than Keir Starmer”.
US president Trump has slapped a 10% tariff on US imports of UK goods as he confirmed sweeping import levies on countries across the world, hailing America’s “declaration of economic independence”.
Downing Street had suggested they had been vindicated in their approach to negotiating with the US in the hope of securing an exemption. The 10% tax facing UK goods is half that facing the EU.
But it broadly mirrors a big list of other countries also on the 10% rate. Among them is Afghanistan – which comes despite the country, which is run by the Taliban, charging the US more in tariffs than the UK.
An SNP source told The National: “The Taliban actually got a better deal than Starmer."
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister told business chiefs on Thursday morning that “clearly, there will be an economic impact” from the tariffs, but the UK Government would respond with “cool and calm heads”.
He said in Downing Street that the US president “acted for his country, and that is his mandate.
“Today, I will act in Britain’s interests with mine.”
Starmer said the UK was “prepared” and that “one of the great strengths of this nation is our ability to keep a cool head”.
The Business Secretary said tariffs on the UK are a “disappointment” and “a challenge”, but that the UK is in a “better position than a lot of other countries from what was announced last night, but I was still disappointed.”
A timeline for the UK to seal an economic deal to mitigate tariffs is “largely in the gift of the US”, Jonathan Reynolds told Times Radio.
