Keir Starmer has warned that a trade war with the US would be 'very damaging' to British consumers, as he sought to reassure the public that the UK Labour party is committed to avoiding such a conflict.
Speaking on the Politics Weekly podcast, Starmer emphasized that Britain's economy and industries are highly intertwined with those of its largest trading partner, highlighting the potential risks of a trade war. He stressed that any tariffs or restrictions imposed by the US would be met with retaliatory measures from the UK, leading to a 'self-inflicted wound' on the British economy.
The Labour leader also acknowledged that some sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, are particularly vulnerable to disruption in global supply chains. However, he emphasized that his party is committed to protecting these industries while also ensuring fair competition with American firms.
Starmer's comments came as tensions between the UK and US continue to escalate over issues such as Brexit-related trade barriers and regulatory differences. The Labour leader has long argued that a trade war would be a 'disaster' for British consumers, who would face increased prices and reduced choices due to the disruption of global supply chains.
As the UK prepares for its departure from the EU's customs union at the end of 2020, Starmer's warnings on the risks of a trade war are likely to resonate with policymakers and business leaders. The Labour leader's commitment to avoiding a trade war is seen as an important step in promoting stability and predictability in international trade relations.
Speaking on the Politics Weekly podcast, Starmer emphasized that Britain's economy and industries are highly intertwined with those of its largest trading partner, highlighting the potential risks of a trade war. He stressed that any tariffs or restrictions imposed by the US would be met with retaliatory measures from the UK, leading to a 'self-inflicted wound' on the British economy.
The Labour leader also acknowledged that some sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, are particularly vulnerable to disruption in global supply chains. However, he emphasized that his party is committed to protecting these industries while also ensuring fair competition with American firms.
Starmer's comments came as tensions between the UK and US continue to escalate over issues such as Brexit-related trade barriers and regulatory differences. The Labour leader has long argued that a trade war would be a 'disaster' for British consumers, who would face increased prices and reduced choices due to the disruption of global supply chains.
As the UK prepares for its departure from the EU's customs union at the end of 2020, Starmer's warnings on the risks of a trade war are likely to resonate with policymakers and business leaders. The Labour leader's commitment to avoiding a trade war is seen as an important step in promoting stability and predictability in international trade relations.
so they're saying Keir Starmer is trying to avoid a trade war, but like how can you even avoid something? it sounds like just a bunch of empty promises 
and what's with the "self-inflicted wound" thing? does that mean we're going to start blaming ourselves for this whole mess? 
also, doesn't he think that if the US is being all tariff-y on us, we can just make our own stuff instead of relying on them? seems like a pretty obvious solution to me 
I mean, think about it, if we go down that road, it's gonna affect our families' pockets, especially with the kids' stuff like medicine and vaccines coming from the States. What's Labour gonna do to make sure our pharmacists can get what they need without breaking a sweat? 
The UK is already dealing with so much uncertainty because of Brexit, we don't need another headache... 
It's just common sense to try to avoid all this drama and focus on making things work between us and the US. My kid's school needs their meds, I don't wanna see them affected by some silly trade war... 
. Remember how we used to have those ridiculous import quotas? Yeah, it's like they're trying to relive that era all over again. Keir Starmer is right on point though - a trade war would be devastating for us, and I'm not just saying that 'cause I love my NHS meds 
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. And can we talk about how outdated our trade regulations are? Like, what were they thinking? 
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. As someone who's been following the Brexit fallout, it's clear that our economy is super dependent on the US. If there's even a hint of a trade war, it'll hit us hard 
. I'm not surprised Starmer's stressing the risks, but what really gets me is how some sectors like pharma and biotech are already struggling with supply chain issues 
. We need to get these industries sorted ASAP! 
Trade War Alert! 
If we go to war with them, it's gonna be messy for us too. Tariffs and restrictions will just lead to more tariffs and restrictions... 
it's just not that simple. And can we talk about how UK industries are so dependent on the US in the first place? Like, they should be trying to diversify their suppliers and markets, not whining about tariffs all day. 
. I mean, think about it, if the US was to impose tariffs on us, what would happen to our pharmaceuticals? My grandma's been taking meds for her arthritis for years, and I know she relies on them getting imported from the States. If they start playing hardball, we'll be in trouble 
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. A trade war would be super bad for us 
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Not cool, mate. As a consumer, it's like, what's the point of having all these fancy products if they're not even available to us?