BREXIT BRILLIANCE - UK threatens US with retaliatory tariffs8 Dec 2021 21:17
The United Kingdom threatened the United States with retaliatory tariffs unless Washington cancels the duties on steel and aluminum imposed by the administration of ex-President Donald Trump, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday citing UK officials.
According to the report, UK Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan (pictured) told US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that London is prepared to impose tariffs on American imports such as whiskey, cosmetics and clothing. "We don’t want to use countervailing measures, but we’re getting a lot of pressure domestically to say that this is unfair," an unnamed UK official stated.
Last week, a US Commerce Department official reportedly said Washington is hesitant to continue tariff talks with the UK due to fears that London may trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, thus endangering peace in Ireland.
Baha Breaking the News (BBN) / NP