Sir Keir Starmer has warned Donald Trump against imposing trade tariffs on the UK, saying he is “not a fan” of protectionist measures.
The Prime Minister said he was “alive to the danger of tariffs” and stressed the importance of avoiding them to maintain strong trade relations with the US.
During his first grilling by the powerful Liaison Committee on Thursday, Sir Keir was quizzed on how he plans to dissuade the president-elect from pursuing the measures.
Sir Keir said: “It won't come as any surprise to you, I am not a fan of tariffs and, therefore, we have to make sure that we avoid tariffs.
"We have got very good trade with the US, as we have got very good trade with other countries around the world. I want to improve on that."
He declined to give details of his recent conversations with Trump, but added: "Am I alive to the danger of tariffs? Yes of course. I'm against tariffs, but I'm not going to speculate as to what the incoming president might do."
Sir Keir met Trump for dinner in New York before the US elections in November. His chief of staff Morgan McSweeney flew to Florida and Washington for meetings with key members of Trump’s team at the start this month.
The PM was questioned on growth, the economy, public services and national security by the Committee’s cross-party MP members in the final Commons event before Parliament breaks for Christmas.
Sir Keir was also quizzed on migration and the small boats crisis. Despite migrants crossing the Channel in record numbers, he insisted he was not in favour of blanket safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK.
Although he said safe routes "can play a really important role" and praised schemes such as the Afghan resettlement programme, he added more work needed to be done "upstream" to prevent people feeling they need to flee their homes.
Asked whether he would be supportive of further safe routes, he said: "No, and I've never been supportive of blanket safe and legal routes, but I believe in the Afghan scheme, I believe in the Hong Kong scheme, I believe in the Ukraine scheme, I think they're good examples of safe and legal routes for people fleeing awful circumstances where we've got an obligation."
He ended the session by insisting he would not do anything differently after almost six months in Number 10, despite the turmoil and criticism he has faced since coming to power.
Closing off questions to the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee of senior MPs, chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier asked: "Is there anything that you would do differently if you were starting out now, knowing what you now?"
Sir Keir replied: "No. We have had to do tough stuff, we are getting on with it and I am very pleased to be delivering from a position of power, rather than going around the division lobbies losing every night.
"I have had too much of that."
