The Government wants “to go further in terms of the trading relationship with the US”, the Home Secretary has said, as an American economist warned the deal struck with Donald Trump this week “isn’t worth the paper it’s written on”.
Joseph Stiglitz told Sky News that had the UK worked with the EU on a deal, “you could have done better than what you’ve done”.
On Friday, Donald Trump’s press secretary insisted the president will stand firm on the blanket 10% tariff on most UK imports into the US, telling reporters he is “committed” to the levy.
It came after Thursday’s deal which cut taxes on car imports of 100,000 a year from 27.5% to 10%, and also reduced tariffs on steel and aluminium through quotas.
Asked whether Mr Trump is taking the UK for a ride, Ms Cooper pressed the importance of the deal for car manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover.
“Clearly we want to go further in terms of the trading relationship with the US,” she told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.
“We are an outward-looking trading nation, so trade is important,” she said, as she declined to get into a “running commentary” on discussions with the EU.
Speaking to the same programme, Mr Stiglitz said that “any agreement with Trump isn’t worth the paper it’s written on” .
Asked whether the UK should focus on building its relationship with the EU, the economist said “very much so”.
He added: “My view is that if you had worked with the EU to get a good deal you could have done better than what you’ve done.”
The shadow home secretary said it is “good that the terrible punitive tariffs” have been eased, but described this week’s agreement as “a very narrow deal”.
“What was agreed last week is not a comprehensive trade deal,” Chris Philp told the same Sky News show.
“[It] is a very narrow deal, talking mainly about tariffs.
“While it’s good that the terrible punitive tariffs that have been in place for a few weeks have been eased, as the Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey said, the level of tariffs that are now being charged on UK exports going into America are higher under this new deal, so-called deal, than they were at the beginning of the year.”
