Trump says he will double tariffs on foreign steel to 50 per cent May 31, 2025 President Donald Trump said that he is doubling the tariff rate on steel to 50 per cent, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, cars and other goods. Trump spoke at US Steel’s Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, to discuss investments by Japan’s [...]
China could gatecrash Starmer’s diplomatic party May 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has repeatedly said that the UK doesn’t need to choose between strengthening economic and trade ties with the US and deepening them with the EU. A few weeks ago, concern was growing in Whitehall that if the UK didn’t strike a deal with America then the chance of a tariff rapprochement could be [...]
UK edges closer to US trade deal for cars and steel May 7, 2025 The UK is coming close to agreeing a trade deal with the US that would see president Donald Trump’s tariffs on motor and steel exports slashed, according to reports. The additional 25 per cent tariffs that Trump instituted on steel and car imports earlier this year are expected to be reduced in a deal later [...]
British Steel cancels mass redundancy plans April 22, 2025 Thousands of steel workers have breathed a sigh of relief after the threat of mass redundancies was withdrawn following a government decision to put British Steel into public ownership. China-based Jingye, the Scunthorpe plant’s former owner, said last month it was consulting on up to 2,700 job losses after it rejected a £500m subsidy from [...]
After British Steel, what else will the government nab for national security? April 21, 2025 The potential nationalisation of British Steel in the name of 'national security' must make us ask what the government will justify next, writes Eliot Wilson.
British Steel: ‘Anti-China rhetoric’ criticised as ‘absurd’ by embassy April 16, 2025 China’s embassy in Britain has criticised the “arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset” of UK politicians towards Chinese business, as it defended British Steel’s owner Jingye. It comes after Jonathan Reynolds said that the nationalisation of the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe is the “likely option at this stage”, while stressing the need to secure a [...]
British Steel: Reynolds would view Chinese firms in ‘different way’ April 15, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds has said he would “look at a Chinese firm in a different way” from those of other nations on involvement in the UK steel industry. But the business secretary has insisted the UK government took control of British Steel because of “one specific company”, and did not rule out Chinese firms being involved [...]
British Steel: No 10 won’t rule out future Chinese involvement in steel making April 14, 2025 No 10 has declined to rule out future Chinese involvement in steel making, amid a race to keep the British Steel furnaces alight in Scunthorpe. The UK government has now said it is “confident” it will beat a race against time to keep the site running after taking control of the plant from Chinese owners [...]
British Steel: No10 ‘confident’ it will secure materials to keep plant running April 14, 2025 The UK government is confident it will beat a race against time to keep the British Steel furnaces running after taking control of the plant from Chinese owners Jingye this weekend. Civil servants and steel workers were rushing to secure the raw materials to keep the Scunthorpe site’s furnaces going – which supply Network Rail [...]
Reynolds fails to confirm British Steel will get raw materials required April 13, 2025 The business secretary has declined to guarantee that British Steel will be able to secure enough raw materials in time to keep the Scunthorpe blast furnaces going. Jonathan Reynolds said he would not “make my situation or the nation’s situation more difficult” by commenting on specific commercial details, the day after taking emergency powers to [...]