Labour must get Trump relationship right to avoid tariff chaos, Stride warns
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has said that it is essential for the Labour government to develop a good relationship with Donald Trump in a bid to avoid the damaging impact of any potential trade tariffs.
The incoming US president has said he may put tariffs of 10 to 20 per cent on countries such as the UK, in a bid to shore up jobs and manufacturing in the United States.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Stride said: “The first and most important thing is America is a hugely important ally, and we need to make sure that we have a very firm and good relationship with the Trump administration.
“This government has not gone off to the best start in that respect, in terms of comments that have been made by members of the front bench, but it is primarily about relationships.
“But you’re absolutely right, we have over £300bn worth of exports to the United States, our most important trading partner, so it’s important that we get that relationship right.”
Keir Starmer’s government has come under criticism after foreign secretary David Lammy’s comments about Trump, who described him as a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” and said he was a “profound threat to the international order”.
But cabinet office minister Pat McFadden insisted today that comments from Labour ministers about Trump will not “interfere” in the “important alliance” between the UK and US.
“The alliance between Britain and the US is long and deep and enduring,” he told Sky News, and cited the “good, productive dinner” Keir Starmer shared with Trump a few weeks ago.
McFadden added that Starmer’s first phone call with Trump was a “congratulations on your win”, and pledged that Britain would continue to “back Ukraine fully”.
He stressed that the Labour Party will not “lecture” other centre-left parties on their campaigns or over living standards – and advised people to “wait and see” what Trump “actually does” on trade and potential tariffs, describing campaign statements as “fiery”.