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Prime Minister Rachel Reeves this week will use his trip to Washington to assert global free trade while urging the Trump administration to cut punitive tariffs on UK automobile and steel exports.
Reeves discusses the UK/US trade contract when the UK first meets US Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent, emphasizing that the UK will not attack the trade at any price.
However, Reeves will use the IMF and World Bank Spring Conference in Washington to file a wide range of free and public lawsuits attended by top finance ministers and central bankers.
The Prime Minister, who is trying to strengthen Britain’s economic ties with the EU, China and India, will argue that free trade is in the UK’s national interests, according to his allies.
The Washington conference marks the first major gathering of top economy policymakers in the US capital since Donald Trump took office as US president in January, adding an edge to their debate.
The conference will be marked by the IMF downgrade to global growth forecasts as it focuses on key economies, including the US, Europe and China.
One person who described Reeves’s plan said, “To act in the UK’s national interests means to continue working for free and publicly available trade globally.”
The Prime Minister will be taking part in the IMF Public Session on Thursday, and will hold discussions with his counterparts, including Bescent, on the economic outlook.
Bescent is seen in London as one of the hard-pressed voices on trade within the Trump administration, but White House officials have shown that the baseline 10% tariffs Trump imposes on many countries, including the UK, are still in place.
The British minister and British ambassador to Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson, is particularly focused on persuading Trump to cut his 25% global tariffs on UK-related automobile and steel imports.
The UK is ready to be hit by US tech companies and cut digital services taxes that cut tariffs on exports of some US meat and seafood, but other Trump demands could prove to be too difficult for the Kielstarme government.
The priority excludes relaxing UK food safety standards, including those that cover US beef and chicken exports, and the dilution of UK online safety laws will spark a major political backlash.
Speaking ahead of his visit to the US last week, Reeves said that “deals that can be secured will always be centered around the UK’s national interests.”
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The Prime Minister is also pushing for ambitious transactions to reduce trade barriers with the EU. For example, we will work with people from other parts of Europe to streamline cross-channel trade.
Britain’s concessions to Trump on food standards — the long-standing US demands in the trade debate — could risk hopes of close ties with the EU. Starmer held the UK/EU Summit on May 19th, “resetting” the trade and security relationships that have suffered as a result of Brexit.
Explained about the UK/US trade consultation, one person added that progress has been “conformed and started” but “there is the correct transaction, not a quick transaction, but that is what is needed for advances in technology partnerships.”
According to British officials, Reeves had never met Bescent before, but the two spoke regularly over the phone.
However, UK officials have warned that they don’t expect Reeves’ meeting with Bescent this week to be a “groundbreaking moment” in trade talks with the US.
On Good Friday’s call, Priorities and Trump discussed the state of debate over the possibility of UK/US deals.
However, the official account on No. 10 on the phone suggested that priorities reminded Trump that there are some red lines in his negotiation position.
“The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to free and open trade and the importance of protecting national interests,” said No. 10.
