Starmer and Trump have ‘productive discussions’ on UK-US trade deal as tariff threat looms

Fears are growing that the UK could be landed with damaging US tariffs

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Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have discussed “productive negotiations” towards a UK-US economic prosperity deal in a phone call, Downing Street said, as fears grow the UK may be landed with US tariffs. The pair agreed that negotiations will “continue at pace” in the Sunday night call, which came after home secretary Yvette Cooper warned that “no option is off the table” in terms of a British response to any US tariffs. The UK is trying to negotiate an exemption from tariffs on all imports into the US.

Negotiations are said to be intense, with moves to decrease or even abolish a British tax on US big tech firms among the bargaining chips. Mr Trump earlier this week announced a 25 per cent import tax on all cars arriving in the US, a measure which will hit British luxury carmakers including Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin. A Downing Street spokesperson said the President had opened by wishing King Charles “good health”.



They added: "They discussed the productive negotiations between their respective teams on a UK-US economic prosperity deal, agreeing that these will continue at pace this week. "Discussing Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated the President on the productive discussions at the meeting of the Coalition of Willing in Paris this week. The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin.

"They agreed to stay in touch in the coming days." More follows on this breaking news story..

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