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[Official] US announces new tariffs on most countries

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Reply 580

Original post
by 2WheelGod
Oh, so the new UK-US trade deal announced yesterday isn't a new trade deal. It's just the existing one.
So why all the fanfare?
What is going on? I explained it earlier.

Reply 581

Original post
by 2WheelGod
Again, you seem to be missing the point of how trade works. You said we should "ramp up exports to the US".
You can only export as much stuff as people are prepared to buy. And if a country is imposing import tariffs, it is more difficult to sell stuff there.

You have contradicted yourself which shows a lack of consistent understanding. The removal of tariffs enable better imports because of the reduction of financial barriers

Reply 582

Original post
by Wired_1800
That’s not the problem of the trade deal. China sells their products, we should sell ours

Which exact products do you think the USA consumer should buy from the UK? Steel and aluminium? Unfortunately the UK isn't really in the game of steel or aluminium manufacture these days and hasn't been for decades. The reason being that our energy costs are prohibitively high.

Which exact products do you think the UK consumer should buy from the USA?

Reply 583

Original post
by Wired_1800
You have contradicted yourself which shows a lack of consistent understanding. The removal of tariffs enable better imports because of the reduction of financial barriers

Tariffs are not the only barrier to trade. Technical barriers exist also.

The UK isn't about to import chlorinated chicken and I can tell you now as a consumer I would not buy it. The reason poultry is treated in that way in the first place is to make up for poor hygiene and handling practices in poultry processing; practices that are far better in the UK because the regulatory environment obliged producers to invest huge sums of money to become compliant with increasingly higher requirements in relation to food safety. These came about due to a number of food safety problems that occurred years before and also due to the rise of EU-based regulation which sought to bring all member states into the same level of regulation and thus make free trade internally more straightforward.

Reply 584

Original post
by ErasistratusV
Tariffs are not the only barrier to trade. Technical barriers exist also.
The UK isn't about to import chlorinated chicken and I can tell you now as a consumer I would not buy it. The reason poultry is treated in that way in the first place is to make up for poor hygiene and handling practices in poultry processing; practices that are far better in the UK because the regulatory environment obliged producers to invest huge sums of money to become compliant with increasingly higher requirements in relation to food safety. These came about due to a number of food safety problems that occurred years before and also due to the rise of EU-based regulation which sought to bring all member states into the same level of regulation and thus make free trade internally more straightforward.

I agree with you on US food standards. We do need to trade with the US.

Reply 585

Original post
by ErasistratusV
Which exact products do you think the USA consumer should buy from the UK? Steel and aluminium? Unfortunately the UK isn't really in the game of steel or aluminium manufacture these days and hasn't been for decades. The reason being that our energy costs are prohibitively high.
Which exact products do you think the UK consumer should buy from the USA?

Our energy costs are horrible and shameful based on the lack of proper investments to reduce the costs. Ed Miliband needs to step down and stop heaping misery on hardworking families.

Reply 586

Original post
by Wired_1800
Our energy costs are horrible and shameful based on the lack of proper investments to reduce the costs. Ed Miliband needs to step down and stop heaping misery on hardworking families.

Are they?

Today I had my bill for the last month. Victorian five bed detached. £65

1000014786.jpg

Reply 587

Original post
by Wired_1800
You have contradicted yourself which shows a lack of consistent understanding. The removal of tariffs enable better imports because of the reduction of financial barriers

What things have lower tariffs than 1st of January?

Reply 588

Original post
by Quady
Are they?
Today I had my bill for the last month. Victorian five bed detached. £65
1000014786.jpg

That’s not what many households pay for their own bills. High energy costs have been an issue for years both domestic and manufacturing.

Reply 589

Original post
by Quady
What things have lower tariffs than 1st of January?

I think you would need to do the research yourself.

Reply 590

Original post
by Wired_1800
That’s not what many households pay for their own bills. High energy costs have been an issue for years both domestic and manufacturing.

If you say so, I guess they are paying less with small properties and lower occupation.

But it is what my household is paying.

Reply 591

Original post
by Wired_1800
I think you would need to do the research yourself.

I have, there is nothing where tariffs are lower under the proposed unsigned agreement than they were under Buden at the start of January.

Reply 592

Original post
by Quady
I have, there is nothing where tariffs are lower under the proposed unsigned agreement than they were under Buden at the start of January.

ok. Maybe Parliament should reject the trade agreement and we can move on as is
(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 593

Original post
by Quady
If you say so, I guess they are paying less with small properties and lower occupation.
But it is what my household is paying.

It is not me saying so. Energy costs have been high for years. If those costs were low, the removal of the winter fuel payment wont have been an issue for pensioners.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/20/why-the-uks-electricity-costs-are-so-high-and-what-can-be-done-about-it

Reply 594

Original post
by Wired_1800
During the US election, i debated some opponents who were anti-Trump. My simple objective was for the UK to sign a trade deal with the US.
Months later, that plan is taking shape with the first of many agreements between the UK and our American friends.
This signifies our deep and special relationship. Britain must align to the US whilst protecting our interests.

This was the point you were making.

Was your objective to sign a trade agreement with Trump on worse terms than we had six months ago under Biden?

'ok. Maybe Parliament should reject the trade agreement and we can move on as is'

As now we are in the position of accepting a trade deal which is worse than the trade deal we had in November 2024 under Biden. Yet you're proclaiming this outcome (Trump's deal with higher tarrifs rather than Biden's tariff regime) as a success? Vindicated un your support for Trump as now we have higher export tariffs to the USA?

Reply 595

Original post
by Wired_1800
That does not mean zero imports though.

It certainly doesn't mean increasing imports, which is what you are proposing.
Donald would not be happy.

Reply 596

Original post
by Wired_1800
You have contradicted yourself which shows a lack of consistent understanding. The removal of tariffs enable better imports because of the reduction of financial barriers

But Trump has not removed all tariffs.

Reply 597

Original post
by Wired_1800
It is not me saying so. Energy costs have been high for years. If those costs were low, the removal of the winter fuel payment wont have been an issue for pensioners.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/20/why-the-uks-electricity-costs-are-so-high-and-what-can-be-done-about-it

It wasn't an issue for my parents, nor my parents in law. (all in receipt of State pension)

I dont really see how £2 a day for gas and electricity is high to be honest. That's what, 20mins work for one person on NLW?

Reply 598

Original post
by Wired_1800
It is not me saying so. Energy costs have been high for years. If those costs were low, the removal of the winter fuel payment wont have been an issue for pensioners.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/20/why-the-uks-electricity-costs-are-so-high-and-what-can-be-done-about-it

"the removal of the winter fuel payment"
The WFP has not been removed. It is still in place.
Please do your research.

Reply 599

Original post
by Quady
It wasn't an issue for my parents, nor my parents in law. (all in receipt of State pension)
I dont really see how £2 a day for gas and electricity is high to be honest. That's what, 20mins work for one person on NLW?

That’s the message on why Labour lost the last local election

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