British Trade and Enterprise Minister Jonathan Reynolds told the Financial Times in an interview published on Friday that The United Kingdom will think very carefully about retaliating if the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trumpimpose new tariffs on the country.
Trump has proposed blanket tariffs of 10% to 20% on virtually all imports when he returns to the White House in January.and has already promised big tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.
“In this country, there is no political constituency for protectionism,” Reynolds told the FT.
The minister said the UK could consider retaliatory measures in some casesbut warned that “increasing the costs of goods or food for your constituents is not attractive.”
Reynolds said he hoped Britain would not be directly targeted by Trumpand that the country’s balanced trade with the United States should reduce the risk of new tariffs.
He also downplayed the prospects for a traditional free trade agreement between the two countries.adding that British food standards would be “an obstacle”.
