UK has best chance to overturn tariffs, says Reynolds

Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said the UK is best-placed to eventually overturn trade tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump.

The UK is expecting to be hit by new US tariffs on Wednesday, when Trump is planning to unveil a raft of new taxes on goods imported into the US.

Reynolds said he expected all countries to be affected by the tariffs, despite his efforts to negotiate an initial UK exemption.

But the business secretary said ongoing talks with the Trump administration meant the UK was in the “best possible position of any country” to have them reversed.

“Some of that comes down to the US and whether they want to do that,” Reynolds told BBC Breakfast.

“I do believe not only can we get to a place where we are avoiding tariffs on each other, but we’re also strengthening that relationship.”

Tariffs are taxes on goods imported to the US.

Over the weekend, Trump suggested the tariffs would hit all countries, not just those with the biggest trade imbalances with the US.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said talks on an economic deal between the two countries to avoid tariffs had been “constructive,” but he did not rule out retaliating if they were imposed on the UK.