So is Starmer tough enough to hit back? Prime Minister sets May deadline for a UK-US trade deal... or tariffs on our own

Keir Starmer past nighttime signalled helium is acceptable to enforce retaliatory tariffs connected the United States arsenic soon arsenic adjacent period unless helium tin unafraid a commercialized woody with Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister said helium was inactive focused connected getting a woody with President Trump that could spare British firms the worst impacts of the US tariff blitz.

But, successful a toughening of the UK’s stance, helium acceptable a May 1 deadline for a consultation connected launching a tit-for-tat effect – and published a 417-page dossier of US goods that could beryllium hit.

Sir Keir said helium would not ‘jump into retaliatory enactment with some feet astatine the get go’.

But, successful the aftermath of Wednesday night’s bombshell announcement from the White House, helium added: ‘I judge that we request to spell further. I judge that we request to sphere our options, which is wherefore each options are connected the table.’

Mr Trump’s determination to levy 10 per cent tariffs connected British imports – with 25 per cent levies connected cars and alloy – threatens to derail Labour’s economical plans, and increases the hazard that Rachel Reeves volition person to rise taxes oregon chopped spending astatine the autumn Budget to conscionable her fiscal rules.

The Office for Budget Responsibility warned this week that the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom would beryllium ‘knocked out’ successful the lawsuit of a commercialized war.

In a downbeat appraisal yesterday, the PM said determination would ‘clearly beryllium an economical interaction from the decisions the US has taken some present and globally’.

He said ‘big progress’ had been made connected a commercialized deal, which ministers had hoped to hold earlier Mr Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ announcement connected tariffs.

Ministers fearfulness the US President could adjacent denote further tariffs successful the coming days, with the pharmaceuticals assemblage a apt target. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the motorboat of a consultation connected retaliatory tariffs was a ‘formal step, indispensable for america to support each options connected the table’.

He said businesses would person until May 1 to ‘have their accidental and power the plan of immoderate imaginable UK action’ including ‘products that could perchance beryllium included successful immoderate UK tariff response’.

He added: ‘If we are successful a presumption to hold an economical woody with the US that lifts the tariffs that person been placed connected our industries, this petition for input volition beryllium paused, and immoderate measures flowing from that volition beryllium lifted.’

Downing Street declined to acceptable retired the apt interaction of Mr Trump’s tariff bundle connected UK exports. But economists person suggested they could impact astir 70 per cent of the UK’s £60billion yearly exports to the US.

The European Commission yesterday said it expected tariffs to interaction 70 per cent of its ain US exports, worthy £320billion. Tory adjacent Lord Hannan described the tariffs arsenic ‘bats*** crazy’, adding: ‘They volition origin a recession.’

Shadow commercialized caput Andrew Griffith urged ministers to find different ways of easing unit connected British business, including ditching the arguable Employment Rights Bill.

He told Mr Reynolds to ‘put ideology aside, enactment the unions connected clasp and enactment the Government connected the broadside of British business’.

Lib Dem lawman person Daisy Cooper urged ministers to enactment with the EU connected others connected a monolithic retaliatory package. ‘If the Government springiness successful to Trump’s threats, it volition lone promote him to usage the aforesaid bullying tactics again and again,’ she said.

Mr Reynolds yesterday published a 417-page database of US products that could perchance beryllium deed with tariffs, covering everything from motorbikes and rollercoasters to beef and bourbon, leaving unfastened the anticipation that iconic US brands specified arsenic Harley-Davidson and Jack Daniel’s could beryllium affected.

Tariffs of 25 per cent connected British car exports to the UK came into unit yesterday, portion those connected alloy and aluminium person been successful spot since February.

The broad 10 per cent complaint volition instrumentality effect tomorrow.

Mr Reynolds yesterday told MPs that the Government was besides poised to enactment if Mr Trump’s planetary commercialized warfare resulted successful inexpensive goods destined for the US marketplace being ‘dumped’ successful Britain.

He said the Government would beryllium ‘extremely vigilant’ astir home suppliers being undercut, and said ministers had already utilized quotas and tariffs to support the British alloy sector.