1 day ago
7
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Reynolds rejects claim prosecution of anti-abortion campaigners in UK could block trade deal with US
This morning the Daily Telegraph has splashed on a story claiming that the prosecution of an anti-abortion campaigner in the UK could be an obstacle to a trade/tariff deal with the US. The paper reports:
In a highly unusual step on Sunday night, the US state department issued a statement saying it was “concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom” in relation to the case of an anti-abortion campaigner.
It said it was “monitoring” the case of Livia Tossici-Bolt, who was prosecuted for holding a sign near a Bournemouth abortion clinic reading: “Here to talk if you want.”
A verdict in the case is due on Friday …
Asked about the comments, a source familiar with trade negotiations told The Telegraph there should be “no free trade without free speech”, a stance thought to have become a point of contention between the two nations.
Asked about the story in his interviews this morning, Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said this was not an issue that had been raised with him in his talks with the Trump administration about a trade deal, which could be linked to potential tariff exemptions. He told Times Radio:
Obviously, there are things from different people in the administration that they’ve said in the past about this, but it’s not been part of the trade negotiations that I’ve been part of.
UK in ‘best possible position’ to negotiate future exemptions from Trump tariffs, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds says
Good morning. So much for the “unprecedented” state visit invite. The real spring statement, the one that is likely to have most impact on the UK tomorrow, is coming tomorrow, when President Trump announces global tariffs, and the government expects that the UK will not get an exemption. As Nick Robinson put it to Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, in the opening question of his Today programme interview this morning: “Sucking up to Donald Trump didn’t work, did it?”
On the Today programme, and in his other interviews this morning, Reynolds’s response was essentially: Not yet. He argued that the UK still has a good chance of winning tariff exemptions, but just not tomorrow. Or that the sucking up might still pay off – not that Reynolds put it quite like that.
Instead, Reynolds told Robinson:
We have engaged with the US on the potential for a deal, because that is in the UK’s national interest, and actually would be mutually beneficial to the US and the UK …
Only the president will himself know exactly how the US is going to take tomorrow. And you’re right to say it might not be possible for any country in the world to be exempted from the initial announcements.
But I do believe the work we have done means the UK is in the best possible position of any country to potentially reach an agreement.
I do believe UK businesses support our approach. They support the calm-headed approach, the desire to engage, to remain at the table, while we can potentially secure an agreement.
In the interview Reynolds also did not challenge the assertion that the tariff announcement tomorrow will have more impact on the British economy than last week’s spring statement. Tomorrow would be ‘“a very serious and significant moment”, Reynolds said.
I will post more from his interviews soon.
Here is the agenda for the day.
Morning: Keir Starmer is on a visit to promote the rise in the national living wage coming into effect today.
9am: Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, gives evidence to the Commons work and pensions committee on reforming jobcentres.
9.20am: Kemi Badenoch is interviewed on LBC.
Morning: Keir Starmer chairs cabinet
10am: Richard Hughes, chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, and colleagues give evidence to the Commons Treasury committee about the spring statement.
11.30am: David Lammy, the foreign secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
11.30am: Kemi Badenoch and Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, hold a press conference on “Labour’s jobs tax”.
Noon: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
Also, at some point today Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is set to unveil the emergency bill she is introducing to block the Sentencing Council guidelines that she described as implementing “two-tier justice”.
If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line or message me on social media. I can’t read all the messages BTL, but if you put “Andrew” in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word.
If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn. The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary.
I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
