Trump tariffs could damage global growth, says Cooper

Donald Trump risks having a “really damaging impact” on the global economy as he pursues tariffs against the US’s nearest neighbours, Yvette Cooper has warned.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

The US president has introduced a 25 per cent levy on goods coming from Mexico and Canada, and a 10 per cent trade tax on Chinese goods, which will come into effect tomorrow. The penalties have sparked fears of a global trade war that could fuel a fresh spike in the cost of living.

The home secretary, who was the first senior British government figure to respond to the announcement, said the UK wanted to break down trade barriers, not put them up. Asked about Mr Trump’s announcement, she told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “Tariff increases right across the world can have a really damaging impact on global growth and trade, so I don’t think it’s what anybody wants to see.”

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has previously said the government is ready for “all eventualities” if Mr Trump chooses to target the UK with tariffs. If the US does hit Britain, the UK could retaliate in the form of tariffs targeted at symbolically important US products, such as whiskey, blue jeans and motorbikes – hitting brands like Jack Daniel’s, Levi’s and Harley-Davidson – as Britain and the European Union did during trade wars in Mr Trump’s first term in the White House.