Trade deal 'saved 150,000 UK jobs'

THE UK-US trade deal was urgently needed to protect as many as 150,000 livelihoods, a senior Government minister said, as he insisted the agreement will be “really good for Britain”.

- PRESS ASSOCIATION REPORTERS

Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was resolute about the need to sign the deal, as he faced suggestions the UK remains in a worse trading situation with the US than before Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs.

The deal removes tariffs on UK steel and aluminium imports to the US, and cuts the levy on cars from 27.5% to 10%, offering British luxury carmakers like Jaguar Land Rover a reprieve.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds indicated on Thursday night that thousands of people were perhaps “days” away from losing their jobs without the deal.

Asked by BBC Breakfast on Friday if agreeing the deal was urgent, Treasury minister Mr Jones said: “Yes. Yes, it was.” Pressed if this was because of the threat of job losses, Mr Jones added: “Of course, which is why it was so important that we've got the deal over the line.” While the final details of the deal are still to be ironed out, the agreement on steel and automobile tariffs is expected to be concluded imminently, given the urgent need to protect jobs in those sectors.