Deal on US steel tariffs to be in force 'in very short time'

THE US trade deal will be implemented “within a very short time”, the Prime Minister has said after Donald Trump exempted Britain from a hike in steel tariffs.

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Sir Keir Starmer suggested to the House of Commons on Wednesday that the deal struck last month could come into effect “in just a couple of weeks”.

Once implemented, the agreement would effectively eliminate tariffs on British steel and aluminium exports to the US.

Those tariffs currently stand at 25% after Mr Trump said he would “provide different treatment” for the UK while he increased the levy to 50% for the rest of the world.

The situation could change again in July, when the US is set to either increase the tariffs to 50% or introduce the quotas in the US-UK agreement, effectively eradicating the tax, depending on whether the deal is implemented.