Reynolds to make case for UK steel industry on US visit

The Business Secretary will seek to make the case for exemptions to Donald Trump’s global metal tariffs for Britain’s steel industry in talks on a new UK-US economic deal as he visits Washington.

Jonathan Reynolds will advance “pragmatic and positive” discussions on transatlantic trade as he meets his White House counterpart, the Government said.

Mr Reynolds will hold the first in-person talks with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer to take place under the new administration.

Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Trump discussed the situation in a call on Monday night, Downing Street said.

“The leaders discussed the Business and Trade Secretary’s visit to Washington today to progress talks on a wider economic deal,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

It comes after the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One there would be no exceptions to a 25% tax on global steel and aluminium imports.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said Mr Reynolds would “represent the interests of key industries including the UK steel sector and will kick off talks on securing a wider economic deal” on the visit.

Unlike the EU, which announced counter-measures on a range of American goods, the UK Government has resisted taking immediate retaliatory action against the tariffs but says “all options” remain on the table to respond in the national interest.

Speaking ahead of the talks, the Business Secretary said: “Protecting and growing the industries that power the UK and play a key role in delivering our Plan for Change is a priority for this government.

“Today’s visit to Washington DC is the latest step in our pragmatic and positive engagement with the new administration to agree a wider economic deal in both our interests.

“The UK and US share a fair and balanced relationship, one that has benefited both sides for many decades, and we will both benefit as we strengthen this relationship further.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told broadcasters Mr Reynolds would argue that free trade is in the interests of both the UK and US.

“We are in roughly trade balance with the United States and so my colleague, Johnny Reynolds, the Business Secretary, is there to speak to the Commerce Secretary to argue that it’s in both our country’s interest to have free trade between us,” he told Sky News.

The Government said around 5% of UK steel exports and 6% of aluminium exports by volume go to the US, although trade bodies for both industries claim that is an underestimate of the scale of shipments across the Atlantic.

The move is the latest blow to a steel industry, which has seen thousands of job losses in recent years due to issues including global competition, high energy costs and the shift to cleaner technologies.