More people want the government to respond to new US tariffs by deepening ties with the UK's other main trade partners including the EU according new polling.
The YouGov poll of over 2,000 adults undertaken on behalf of Best for Britain found that three times as many respondents think that increasing trade with the EU is the best course of action (43%) compared to those who think improving relations with Trump in the hope of an exemption for the UK is the way to go (14%).
In fact, more people prefer increasing trade with nations such as Japan or Brazil (20%) over sucking up to the man actively damaging the UK economy. Only one in ten believe the UK should place retaliatory tariffs on US goods.
Offsetting US tariffs by increasing UK-EU trade is supported by a clear majority of the voters that swept Keir Starmer to power last year (60%). This is a view shared by people who voted Lib Dem (63%) and is even the most popular option among Conservative voters (31%). Only people who voted Reform UK prefer getting down and licking American boot with 42% saying improving relations with Trump is the way to go. Only one in twenty (6%) Labour voters said this would be the correct course of action.
The findings have been published just days after US President Donald Trump announced a new 25% levy on UK cars and other British goods entering the US, a move that is expected to badly impact one the UK’s main export industries and famous brands such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce. With the new tariffs due to take effect from Wednesday next week, the government has yet to announce how they intend to respond with hopes of an exemption for the UK rapidly fading despite Starmer’s best diplomatic efforts.
Recent independent research by Frontier Economics suggests the public’s preferred approach could be the most effective. Their analysis showed that a common sense deal between the EU and UK which leads to deeper regulatory alignment on goods and services would not only cancel out the economic hit to the UK from Trump’s tariffs, but would grow the UK economy by up to 1.5% with the strongest growth in areas like the Midlands and North of England.
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, said:
“By deepening trade through a new common sense deal, our independent research shows the UK and EU can negate the economic damage from Trump's trade war while securing meaningful growth across the UK.
"Achieving this outcome must be the Government’s priority when they host EU leaders in May.”
Andrew Lewin MP, Chair of the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission said,
“In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has acted decisively to bring European leaders together on defence co-operation. It is vital we have the same level of ambition for a reset in the UK and EU trading relationship.
“Closer alignment with the EU on goods and services, complemented by a new youth mobility deal are all popular with the public. Just as importantly, they are all policies which can drive growth in the UK economy - which is priority number one for the country right now."