KEIR Starmer is hoping to get his trade deal with Donald Trump implemented this week, in order to avoid a further damaging hike in steel tariffs. The clock is ticking after the Prime Minister told MPs that the deal would come into effect this Wednesday.

However he has refused to guarantee he will meet the deadline as he travels for discussions with the US President in Canada. Speaking in the Commons on June 4, Sir Keir told MPs that the deal will activate “in just a couple of weeks”, and “within a very short time”. The Prime Minister celebrated his “really important” treaty with the US President in a surprise announcement over a month ago, however it is still yet to be implemented.

DON’T MISS

Powered by 

Macron takes 10-word swipe at Trump as he arrives in Greenland

Comments

Middle East on brink of war as Trump warns of Israel’s potential brutal attacks

Comments

Fury as Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel chaos

Comments

Labour ‘sitting on their hands’ in Israel conflict as major defence report delayed

Comments

Starmer ‘misleading’ UK as steel jobs under threat from Donald Trump tariffs despite deal

Comments

Keir Starmer suffers blow after devastating new poll – ‘no way back’

Comments

Netanyahu claims Iran ‘wants to kill’ Trump in explosive interview

Comments

POLL: Should UK defend Israel against Iran?

Comments

Israel ready for all-out war with Iran even without US support as WW3 fears rise

Comments

Reform UK gets another boost in hint at future from an unlikely source

Comments

Israel’s Iran strike is ‘most dangerous yet’ – why that’s humiliating for Trump

Comments

Rachel Reeves’s bright ideas have taken a matter of hours to crumble

Comments

UK to boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP but only after Labour bows to Nato pressure

Comments

Trump mocks Greta Thunberg, says she needs ‘anger management’ and slams her as ‘strange’

Comments

Keir Starmer jets off to Canada as Middle East chaos overshadows trade deal talks

Comments

Keir Starmer takes savage swipe at Donald Trump in fiery row over Canada

Comments

Keir Starmer rebukes Donald Trump over ‘Canada annexation’ threat

Comments

Donald Trump upstages Rachel Reeves with huge announcement minutes into her speech

Comments

Keir Starmer eyes post-Brexit win with three priorities for UK and Canada

Comments

Elon Musk in humiliating climbdown after savage Donald Trump row – ‘went too far’

Comments

Macron takes 10-word swipe at Trump as he arrives in Greenland

Comments

Middle East on brink of war as Trump warns of Israel’s potential brutal attacks

Comments

Fury as Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel chaos

Comments

Labour ‘sitting on their hands’ in Israel conflict as major defence report delayed

Comments

Starmer ‘misleading’ UK as steel jobs under threat from Donald Trump tariffs despite deal

Comments

Keir Starmer suffers blow after devastating new poll – ‘no way back’

Comments

Netanyahu claims Iran ‘wants to kill’ Trump in explosive interview

Comments

POLL: Should UK defend Israel against Iran?

Comments

Israel ready for all-out war with Iran even without US support as WW3 fears rise

Comments

Reform UK gets another boost in hint at future from an unlikely source

Comments

Israel’s Iran strike is ‘most dangerous yet’ – why that’s humiliating for Trump

Comments

Rachel Reeves’s bright ideas have taken a matter of hours to crumble

Comments

UK to boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP but only after Labour bows to Nato pressure

Comments

Trump mocks Greta Thunberg, says she needs ‘anger management’ and slams her as ‘strange’

Comments

Keir Starmer jets off to Canada as Middle East chaos overshadows trade deal talks

Comments

Keir Starmer takes savage swipe at Donald Trump in fiery row over Canada

Comments

Keir Starmer rebukes Donald Trump over ‘Canada annexation’ threat

Comments

Donald Trump upstages Rachel Reeves with huge announcement minutes into her speech

Comments

Keir Starmer eyes post-Brexit win with three priorities for UK and Canada

Comments

Elon Musk in humiliating climbdown after savage Donald Trump row – ‘went too far’

Comments

Macron takes 10-word swipe at Trump as he arrives in Greenland

Comments

Middle East on brink of war as Trump warns of Israel’s potential brutal attacks

Comments

Fury as Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel chaos

Comments

Labour ‘sitting on their hands’ in Israel conflict as major defence report delayed

Comments

Starmer ‘misleading’ UK as steel jobs under threat from Donald Trump tariffs despite deal

Comments

Keir Starmer suffers blow after devastating new poll – ‘no way back’

Comments

Netanyahu claims Iran ‘wants to kill’ Trump in explosive interview

Comments

Asked whether he could be shaking on the deal with President Trump at this week’s G7 meeting to finally bring the agreement into force, Sir Keir insisted there was no need.

He told reporters: “We’ve shaken on the deal and we’re at the implementing stage now, which doesn’t actually require another shake of the hand although I am sure there will be many shakes of the hand. We have reached the agreement and are now implementing it and that is going on.”

“We had to do various things, they had to do various things but I am very confident we’re implementing it.”

A government source suggested that the Prime Minister is optimistic he will get the agreement over the line in the coming days.

While political opponents criticised the trade deal, workers in Britain’s struggling steel and car industry were relieved by the crucial reduction in tariffs following Donald Trump’s global trade war.

Anxiety has since been reignited after the US President signed an executive order this week to increase steel tariffs to 50%.

Mr Trump said: “I have determined that increasing the previously imposed tariffs will provide greater support to these industries and reduce or eliminate the national security threat posed by imports of steel and aluminium articles.”

This is a doubling of the existing 25% tariffs, imposed in March, which were already proving a huge financial burden on Britain’s remaining steel industry.

Asked whether the Prime Minister now sees himself as a ‘bridge’ between the US and Europe, Sir Keir said he has a “good relationship” with both Donald Trump and all his fellow G7 leaders.

Speaking on the plane to Ottawa, he insisted: “Well, I have got a good relationship with President Trump, and that’s important, as you can see from the fact that we had a discussion yesterday about the urgent situation in relation to Israel and Iran. I think the G7 is our opportunity to look at, as we are, the global economy, security in that global economy, trade and the economy as well, and more matters of national security.”

“I’ve been saying, for probably the best part of six months now, we’re in a new era of defence and security, a new era for trade and the economy. And I think it’s really important for Britain to play a leading part in that, and that’s what I’ll be doing at the G7, talking to all of our partners in a c

“And I’m very pleased that I have developed good relations with all the G7 leaders to the point where … I have a very good relations with all of them.”

The Prime Minister also dismissed concerns that plans for a Chinese ‘super embassy’ next to the Tower of London could threaten his trade talks with America in light of the ally’s concerns about security implications.

It’s feared that the new “mega embassy” could become a nest of spies in the heart of London, with architect plans suggesting the building will house ‘spy dungeons’ which may be used for the abduction, intimidation or torture of Chinese government enemies.

Sir Keir said he will “act in our own national interest at all times on any issue, including in relation to the embassy. We will carefully balance what is in our national interest in any decision that we take.”

Last week a senior US official told The Sunday Times: “The United States is deeply concerned about providing China with potential access to the sensitive communications of one of our closest allies.”