Brits overwhelmingly want the government to prioritise trade with the European Union over the United States as president Donald Trump takes office.
Polling out from YouGov shows 53 per cent of Brits would rather have the EU as the UK’s closest trading partner, while just 21 per cent suggested the US would be more beneficial for the country.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all imports into the United States, singling out Canada, Mexico, and China as countries that could face steeper measures within hours of his inauguration on Monday.
Darren Jones (Chief Secretary to the Treasury) has said publicly that he doesn’t believe Trump would place tariffs on UK goods – but that doesn’t mean the Government isn’t preparing for such an eventuality.
Faced with self-imposed trade barriers with the EU, Britain could find itself stuck between a rock and a hard place should commerce with the US become more cumbersome.
Little wonder 75 per cent of Labour voters think it is high time for a rethink when it comes to the country’s closest trading partner.
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