United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government is looking at increasing the country’s industry to offset the impact of the tariffs that the Trump administration imposed.
The country was hoping it would be spared from President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs,” but they were hit with a 10% tariff across the board. Starmer noted that all options are being considered in how Britain responds.
“We are ready for what comes next. The new world is less governed by established rules and more by deals and alliances. It demands the best of British virtues – cool heads, pragmatism and a clear understanding of our national interest,” Starmer wrote in an op-ed published in the Telegraph Saturday.
“We stand ready to use industrial policy to help shelter British business from the storm,” Starmer said.
He noted that “Some people may feel uncomfortable about … the idea the state should intervene directly. But we simply cannot cling on to old sentiments when the world is turning this fast,” he said.
Starmer said his government will “turbocharge” plans to improve the country’s industrial competitiveness this week.
“That refusal to accept a changing world is at the heart of Britain’s declinism over recent decades,” Starmer added. “For too long, our major institutions have simply tried to manage crises. The approach has been to muddle through, rather than deal with the fundamental cause.”
Trump has framed his newest tariffs as “reciprocal” to match trade barriers that other countries impose on products from the U.S., dollar for dollar, but in reality, they are based on trade deficits.
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Starmer maintained that “all options remain on the table” but that he would “only strike a deal if it is right for British business and the security of working people.”
“That also means strengthening our alliances and reducing barriers to trade with other economies around the world. Agile diplomacy delivers a stronger, more diverse, and secure economy here at home,” he wrote.