The US President Has suggested imposing tariffs on imports of UK steel, the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said this will cause damage for both the US and UK.
The British steel industry is facing 25% tax on imports which will come into affect in March for all imports to the US.
The Labour government has pledged a package of up to £25 billion to help boost British steel.
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg Reynolds said, “In relation to steel and aluminium, what we send to the US is very specialised, relatively niche products that the US needs.”
He said, “Some of the things the US imports, it hasn’t got alternative suppliers for, the submarine casings that come from Sheffield, for instance, to the US Navy.
“I don’t want them paying more needlessly for that, so we can engage, and we’ve already been doing that.”
The Business Secretary was asked what the impact the tariffs in March will be, he said, “It would be negative for ourselves, it would be negative for the US as well.”
Reynolds added, He said “there is the basis for constructive engagement” between the proposed US tariffs on the UK, but “I’m not saying it’s easy.”
“I appreciate they have a mandate for changing how they approach the issues of trade, but we have got a different argument, a different story to tell to the EU or to China in relation to our trading relationships.”
