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Government trade strategy embraces UKTBC proposals
The UK Trade and Business Commission has welcomed the full publication of the government's trade strategy today which highlighted the unparalleled importance of EU trade for British businesses.
What is the UK's new Trade Strategy?
This morning the government published the UK’s new Trade Strategy, the first one since the UK left the EU. The report outlines the targeted approach the government will take over the coming years to provide ‘practical deals that deliver faster benefits to UK businesses’. The Trade Strategy makes clear that the EU is “our closest neighbour and trading partner”, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying that he wanted the UK-EU relationship “to move on in iterations” at the yearly summits the UK and EU have now agreed to.
Government to publish trade strategy
Commission Chair Andrew Lewin has welcomed the imminent publication of the government’s trade strategy and called for a renewed drive to secure mutual recognition agreements with the EU
Entering a new phase
Times have changed in UK-EU relations. Negotiators from London and Brussels appear to have been in a negotiating “tunnel” in early April, and the outside world didn’t notice. In amidst the closer cooperation may even be a certain amount of joint briefing designed to suggest how both sides are fighting for their interests on difficult topics, such as fish, to be triumphantly announced as being solved at the May 19 Summit.
What was in the Labour spending review?
When Rachel Reeves stood at the despatch box for Wednesday’s spending review her message was clear. The era of austerity was over. Fifteen years after George Osborne entered the Treasury, Reeves branded austerity as “a destructive choice for our economy…creating a lost decade for growth, wages, and living standards”.
Reeves' first year in office has so far been largely defined by cuts to Winter Fuel Payments and looming cuts to PIP, but what was included in the Chancellor’s plans for the rest of the Parliament? And how could a closer relationship with Europe help her mission?
US nuclear deterrent ‘no longer fully credible’, former NATO ambassador warns
Defence expert Sir Adam Thomson, who held the role at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) from 2014 to 2016, has today stressed that the “US nuclear deterrent that backs the NATO Article 5 guarantee is no longer fully credible”.
The UK avoids Trump's steel tariffs hike - for now. Here's what you need to know.
Donald Trump has temporarily exempted the UK from his executive order doubling the base rate of tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25% to 50%. The UK’s rate will remain at 25% until at least 9 July 2025, due to the recently agreed UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) - but with a warning that the exemption relies on the EPD being implemented. So what is in the EPD? And what do these latest tariffs mean for the UK?
What's in the deal agreed at the UK-EU Summit?
The UK and EU have struck a new deal aimed at fixing post-Brexit friction. From smoother travel and youth mobility to cheaper food, defence cooperation and reduced barriers for businesses, some changes will kick in quickly, while others require further negotiation. The deal marks the first step towards a more practical partnership - here's what's in it.
UK-EU Deal: UKTBC Chair Andrew Lewin reacts
The Chair of the UKTBC Andrew Lewin MP reacts to the May 19 Summit.
UK-EU Deal: Prime Minister must build on promise of historic moment
The UK has secured a new agreement with the European Union which includes many policies developed and campaigned for by Best for Britain.
Britain must ‘rebuild’ trade with EU to repair economy, Bank of England boss insists
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has said the UK must "do everything we can" to "rebuild trade with the EU.
Tariff deal with unpredictable dealmaker should be treated with caution
The US and UK have announced a deal on tariffs which will see the 25% levy on UK steel and aluminium removed and the rate on most car exports cut to 10% - but campaigners argue the White House's "chaotic" style means any agreement must be treated with "extreme caution".
What is in the UK-India trade deal?
On 6 May the UK government announced that a UK-India Free Trade Agreement had been agreed, but what does the deal entail and what does it mean for the UK economy?
Welcome India trade deal no substitute for closer EU ties
Campaigners have welcomed confirmation that the UK Government has signed a new bilateral trade deal with India but have highlighted the need to remove trade barriers with the EU.
German Ambassador highlights the value of youth mobility and tackles immigration concerns
The German Ambassador to the UK has today stressed the economic and social value of a reciprocal Youth Mobility Scheme to both the UK and EU while disagreeing with those who conflate it with immigration or freedom of movement.
Progress made ahead of UK-EU Summit
Times have changed in UK-EU relations. Negotiators from London and Brussels appear to have been in a negotiating “tunnel” in early April, and the outside world didn’t notice. In amidst the closer cooperation may even be a certain amount of joint briefing designed to suggest how both sides are fighting for their interests on difficult topics, such as fish, to be triumphantly announced as being solved at the May 19 Summit.
What do tariffs mean for the UK?
On 2 April, standing in the Rose Garden of the White House, Donald Trump announced new tariffs on UK exports to the US. Trump has since delayed the implementation of the higher rates of tariffs for 90 days. But what are tariffs? How will these new tariffs affect the UK? And how should the UK government respond to this change to the world economic order?
UK & EU industry calls for mutual recognition agreement to boost growth
Today, a broad coalition of business groups and membership bodies from the EU and UK including the British Chambers of Commerce, CBI, FSB and the UK’s sole national accreditation service UKAS, has called for a mutual recognition agreement on conformity assessments between the UK and EU to help boost economic growth.
Twenty ways to fix Brexit’s growth hit
The House of Common’s Business and Trade Committee has published an important report on ways the Government can improve trade with the EU to achieve growth based on evidence from the UK trade and Business Commission.
US Tariffs: Best response is increasing trade with Europe
On 2 April, President Trump announced a new set of global tariffs, including a 10% tariff on all UK imports to the US and a 25% tariff on all foreign manufactured automobile imports to the US.
Responding to the introduction of new tariffs on UK imports to the US, Andrew Lewin MP, Chair of the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission argues the UK should respond by increasing trade with the EU.