The prime minister has told his cabinet that the UK must be “cool and calm” in response to whatever taxes are unleashed by the US. In other words, the UK is not likely to reach for retaliatory tariffs immediately. Instead Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson said "The UK's plan is mainly to suck it up and grovel". A second State Visit and plenty of toadying is on the agenda when Keir Starmer rings King Trump on the electric telephone tomorrow. Yet there is significant anxiety at the top of government about the impact tariffs could have even if in force for a short period of time. "Frankly we're stuffed," sighed David Lammy. "All we can do is grovel and try and throw our allies under the bus before us.". And even if the UK receives specific exemptions or mitigations, a massive global trade war would be damaging for the economy here in any case. Before long, therefore, this global story is likely to also become a domestic story in the UK about this government’s approach to bottom licking.
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