MPs to grill US envoy on steel tariffs
Tit-for-tat trade war fear over 25% levy
AMERICA’S ambassador to the UK could be hauled into Westminster to explain President Trump’s threat of a 25% tariff on steel imports.
MPs and peers are bidding to summon Woody Johnson amid fears the move will spark a “tit-for-tat” trade war – and deal another devastating blow to our ailing steel industry.
Mr Trump is under pressure to grant us an exemption and International trade Secretary Liam Fox flies to Washington next week for crisis talks.
In the meantime, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Steel and Metal-Related Indus- tries wrote to urge Mr Johnson, 70, to give evidence. The letter said: “The announcement has been extremely concerning, not least because of the risk to jobs, both in the UK and the US.” Mr Trump has said Canada and Mexico would be exempt from the levy. But we would be unlikely to get an exemption while in the EU – and even during a transitional Brexit deal. The EU plans to retaliate with higher import duties on items from the US. UK Steel director Gareth Stace said: “This would be tit-for-tat... a trade war.” UK Steel sends 7% of exports, worth £360million, to the US. The Mirror is backing the sector with the Save Our Steel campaign.