Labour tonight piled pressure on the Government to strike a deal with the White House to axe steel tariffs.
International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced two months ago that negotiations aimed at scrapping the 25% duties on British steel crossing the Atlantic had started.
But there has been no breakthrough - triggering fresh fears for the industry.
In a letter to Ms Trevelyan, seen exclusively by the Mirror, Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds warns: “A solution needs to be found quickly so that jobs, businesses and livelihoods here in the UK can be guaranteed.”
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US tariffs were first introduced for EU steel - including from the UK - in 2018 on national security grounds under Section 232 of the 1962 US Trade Expansion Act by then President Donald Trump.
The US axed duties on steel from the EU on January 1, but Brexit meant the UK was carved out of the deal and 25% tariffs are still slapped on British-made steel crossing the Atlantic.
The Americans agreed earlier this year to open talks aimed at abolishing the duties.
But experts believe President Joe Biden may be resisting cutting tariffs because of the ongoing deadlock over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Cabinet Minister Ms Trevelyan is due to hold trade talks with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Baltimore next week.
In his letter, Mr Thomas-Symonds tells her: “I urge you to raise this issue and ask that negotiations can be expedited so that a satisfactory resolution can be found as soon as feasibly possible.”
Speaking to the Mirror, he added: “ Two months have passed since Anne-Marie Trevelyan confirmed the opening of negotiations to lift the punishing steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by President Trump in 2018 and, as of yet, no solution has been found to get these tariffs lifted.
“With the same tariffs having been eased for the EU on New Year’s Day and, shortly, to be eased for Japan, too, the pressure on our UK steel industry is increasing.
“Steel is a foundational industry for our country, vital for its security and prosperity.
“Time is running out. Effective action on this issue from the Secretary of State for International Trade is long overdue.”
A Department for International Trade spokesman said: “The International Trade Secretary continues to speak to (US Trade) Secretary (Gina) Raimondo regularly to maintain momentum behind constructive discussions to resolve Section 232 tariffs.
“Until a deal is reached that works for the UK and is in the interests of our steel and aluminium industry, we will continue to apply rebalancing measures on US products.”
Sources said it took Japan and the US three months to agree to end tariffs, and the US and EU five months.
