British steel pleads for support after Trump’s 25% tariffs trigger a slump in orders

By JOHN-PAUL FORD ROJAS

Updated: 22:01 GMT, 18 March 2025

Britain’s beleaguered steel firms are already facing cancelled orders after Donald Trump hit the industry with 25 per cent tariffs – and they have called for government action to save them. Tata Steel and British Steel bosses said the Government has been slow to act compared to the EU. 

They were giving evidence to the Commons business select committee as Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds visits Washington for talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. 

Britain is seeking an exemption from tariffs on global steel and aluminium imports. The tariffs deter US customers from buying UK steel products but an even bigger problem is cheap steel from other markets being diverted from America to Britain.

Rajesh Nair, boss of Tata Steel UK, told MPs there would be a ‘huge impact’ on sales. Tata sells about £80million worth of steel a year to the US, he said, adding: ‘Customers are already wanting to cancel orders.’

Allan Bell, chief commercial officer at British Steel, said the EU was acting more swiftly than the UK to review ‘safeguarding measures’ – import quotas above which tariffs are imposed.

Alasdair McDiarmid at the Community trade union warned that his members were ‘very concerned’.

Export duties: Bosses from Tata Steel and British Steel said the government has been slow to respond to America’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports

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British steel pleads for support after Trump’s 25% tariffs trigger a slump in orders

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