Starmer is right to try to maintain the dignity of the nation and avoid causing Trump’s irrational side
TThe insistence of the Prime Minister, who, frames the response of the United Kingdom At Trump rates“We will always act in the national interest” it was wise and reassuring. The mood is currently “to keep calm and continue negotiating”, and if there must be an answer, it must be weighed and represent a fully informed choice. Hence the meeting of the entrepreneurs convened in Downing Street in the aftermath of the announcements of the President of the United States.
In the next few days, the full scale and the nature of international retaliation will become clearer; The same goes for Donald Trump’s thought. From his chatting presentation of the new tariff programs in the Rose Garden Permanent political shift aimed at restoring the American production and providing trillion dollars for the American treasure. In other words, there is no need for a haste to action.
Gentleman Keir Starmer It is right to try to maintain the dignity of the nation, in addition to avoiding upsetting the Mr Trump fuel, limiting himself to vague observations on having “levers at his disposal”. Companies are consulted on possible retaliation actions, but that’s all – at least for the moment.
However, with the United States economy About seven times larger than that of the United Kingdom – and Great Britain still rely on America for its defense – those levers are not particularly powerful. Unlike, let’s say, in China (in concert with Japan and South Korea), the European UnionMexico or Canada, the United Kingdom lacks the weight necessary to inflict many material damage to American producers and exporters. Any effort to join an international assault on Trump’s policy would risk attracting the imposition of even higher rates on the exports of the United Kingdom, with the corresponding damage to British jobs and economic growth – and European security and Ukrainian peace interviews.
Much better, therefore, for the British government Keep a “fresh head”As Sir Keir suggests: not only adapts to the general behavior of the Prime Minister, but will help to preserve his unusually hot relationship with a man almost precisely his opposite ideological. Great Britain is destined to look at how things develop and will continue to interact with American trade officials, investments and wider economic relationships. If an old and appreciated friend unexpectedly decides to have a spit, the most rational answer is not to hit them and intensify a discussion in a violent crack.
As imaginative as it may seem, this crisis can be transformed into an opportunity. As a commercial secretary, Jonathan ReynoldsHe told the Municipalities, a commercial agreement of some kind could be mutually advantageous, even if this is not immediately evident to President Trump, who is more “zero sum” in his approach to life (as one might expect from his time in the real estate sector).
Sir Keir says the talks continue. It should be encouraged by the fact that the United Kingdom must be subjected only to the “basal” rate of 10 %, although with the highest expenses on cars, steel and aluminum that bring the weighted average to trade up to 13 %. When the two leaders met in the White House, Trump expressed the hope that an agreement could be made. Despite an intense activity, such an agreement has not been reached in time to avoid the new rates, but the process has been by train since Theresa May launched the post-Brexit interviews with the United States-it started.
The contours of this agreement can already be discernite. Negotiations could include a radical cut in the tariffs on US goods, such as cars and agricultural products, and easier access for qualified and qualified workers through mutual recognition. The United Kingdom may have to compromise on his High standards of animal welfareHygiene and environmental protection, but this is a difficult choice that could be made, in the expectation that consumers exercise their right to choose.
More difficult, if not impossible, would be to satisfy the normal requests for improved prices – inflated – to be paid from the NHS to the US pharmaceutical giants. American negotiators should also be adequately informed about the reality of freedom of speech in the United Kingdom, which is protected as a human right by law, except for incitement to hatred against specific vulnerable groups.
The real question is whether the achievement of a sort of economic agreement with America – a result that would certainly have produced benefits – worth the sacrifices and concessions that could be requested by Mr. Trump. This includes the effect that this pact would have on our relationship with the EU, in the light of the “reset” promised by work in the general elections.
The possibility of this agreement with the United States is also advertised as a “Brexit bonus”, as well as the “favorable” rate of 10 %. Needless to say, this is highly questionable. If it was still part of the EU, the United Kingdom would probably have been treated more hard, but would have had the full weight of the largest single market in the world behind it, together with Better access to EU markets Who lost from Brexit.
As a Member State, the United Kingdom would also have been able, ironically, to control its laws on freedom of speech, as well as to protect the NHS and farmers. In other words, a commercial agreement with America should be radically better than what is currently planned to make Brexit useful, even in purely financial terms.
And the terrible truth remains that the United States have He downgraded his commitment to NATOAnd “exchanged sides” to align with Russia in the field of European and European security.
On balance, Sir Keir can best serve British national interest by pursuing closer relations with Europe, refusing to issue unnecessary retaliation measures against America and save as much as possible of the US-UK special relationship. The hope is that the Trump era can eventually pass more easily. In any case, balance and nourish the most crucial relationships of Great Britain will not be easy.
