Beth Rigby (00:00):
Rigby, Sky News. Back in February, when you did a press conference with Donald Trump in the White House, he said, "We could end up with a real trade deal where tariffs wouldn't be necessary. We'll see."
(00:12)
Those were Donald Trump's words. And you've come out, and yes you have a concession on cars, you have a flat tariff still of 10%. Are you disappointed with that? Is this just the start? And to those voters, last week in the local elections, that gave you the worst ever vote share you've had in a set of elections as the Labour Party, what's your message to them? Thank you.
Keir Starmer (00:38):
Well, my message to them is that we absolute get the message that they sent last Thursday. We will remain focused as ever on the national interest and I have them in mind, I have the workforce here in mind, when we make the decisions that we make. I don't make them for my sake. I make them on behalf of working people across this country.
(01:04)
And in relation to this deal, yes, we would like to go further, in relation to tariffs. But I think it's really important that we've been able to get this deal over the line now, because in that way, we've been able to protect and save and enhance jobs, right here, right now. And that reduction of 27.5% down to 10% makes a huge difference to firms like JLR and the decisions they have to make about the future. Decisions that I want them to make about the future.
(01:07)
Steel and aluminum obviously have been in been in the news hugely in recent weeks. To get that down to 0% is hugely important. Pharmaceuticals is one of the most important sectors in our economy and therefore there's nothing to get down at the moment because there isn't a tariff. But if there should be, to already have gotten into a position of significantly preferential outcomes will, I know, be a welcome relief to them.
(02:04)
So, I measure this by the reactions of those that are most affected by the tariffs, which is the workforce here. It's those in pharmaceuticals, those that are working in steel and aluminum. But look there's a huge ambition here. There's a lot in the deal about tech. We are two of the leading economies on tech. There's a huge amount we could do on tech, as well. So, we want to go further. We want to go further in those areas, and on tariffs. Keeping our redlines absolutely in place on SPS and on food standards and agricultural standards, because that matters so much to us, here in Britain.
(02:38)
Thank you, Beth.
(02:38)
Paul.
Paul McWright (02:54):
Hi, there. Paul McWright, Channel 4 News. Afternoon, Prime Minister. Business needs certainty. President Trump is no stranger to changing his mind on a whim. What assurances can you give business, give the workers here, that, despite what you've agreed today, we're not all going to wake up to a post tomorrow that effectively rips all that up.
Keir Starmer (03:11):
Well, we've been negotiating this text for a long time. I had discussion with Donald Trump along the way, including discussions last night. We're clearly in agreement. There is a written text. This is reduced to writing. That text will be available. So this is an agreement that is absolutely clear. We've worked well together. We respect each other, the president and I, and we trust each other, and have trusted each other through this process. Each of us mandating our negotiating teams to get the best deal for our respective countries.
(03:47)
Both teams have fought hard in tough negotiations, and we have arrived at an agreement that I went through with the president last night, and we've just agreed moments ago here at JLR. So, clear agreement in terms and these tariff reductions, to come in in very short order, make a material difference to lives in very many people across the country. Thank you very much.
(04:07)
I've got Noah. Noah.
Noah (04:19):
Noah from The Sun. Hi, Prime Minister. I was wondering if you could please spell out for us, what your strategy is going to be to get those 10% tariffs down to 0%. I know you're talking a lot about today being jobs saved, not a job done, but a lot of people will be thinking 10% still isn't good enough. We're worse off than a year ago. How are you going to approach negotiations going forward and how long will it take till we get to 0%?
Keir Starmer (04:42):
I will approach negotiations in the same way I've approached the negotiations with India and with President Trump to get to today's deal. With India, I met Prime Minister Modhi at the G20 in Brazil. We agreed that we would get our teams to work together, at pace, in a courteous, respectful, business-like way. With President Trump, we've operated in the same way. Not walking out of the room. Not slamming doors. We're staying in the room negotiating. The same with the EU. Respectfully negotiating in relation to the summit that we'll have a week on Monday.
(05:20)
So, we'll do it in exactly the same way. But please do not underestimate the significance of the tariff reductions today, because these are measured in thousands of good, well-paid jobs across the country, and that really matters. That's the heart of everything that I believe in. And I believe that serious, pragmatic, in-the-room negotiations, acting in the national interest, are far better than performative politics. People slamming the door, floundering out, being performative, but not actually delivering for working people. And I'll continue in the same vein. We've had two trade deals this week, by acting in that way, and I think that shows that serious pragmatism defeats performative politics any day of the week. Thank you.
(05:57)
Mikey from The Mirror.
Mikey (06:00):
[inaudible 00:06:00] The Mirror. You mentioned tech a couple of times. JD Vance has said, on a number of occasions, that one of his redlines is concessions on our anti-hate speech laws. How have you managed-
Keir Starmer (06:26):
On our what, sorry?
Mikey (06:29):
Anti-hate speech laws. How have you managed to talk him around on that? and very quickly if I may, I think you'll admit that this wasn't expecting to do today. Donald Trump has been struggling to land his arguments on tariffs. Have we been bounced into this by a president that needs help out of a hole?
Keir Starmer (06:47):
Well, look, I mean, in terms of free speech, I've been really clear throughout. We've had free speech in this country for a very, very long time. It's one of our foundational principles, of which we're all very, very proud, and that will long, long be the case. There's nothing in this deal that impinges on that in any way whatsoever.
(07:06)
In relation to the timing of this, no, not at all. Our teams have been hard at work for weeks on end. I've wanted to get a deal over the line. I've made no, you know, I'm not ashamed of that. I've wanted, because I knew how important it was, particularly for JLR, that we got a deal. That we got over the line, and we got over the line in a timely manner. The last thing I wanted to do was deliver a deal that didn't come in time for those that desperately need it.
(07:38)
So, no, I didn't know the exact day. I wouldn't have been having my phone call with President Trump halfway through the second half of the Arsenal-PSG game, had I planned it better. But that's the way it turned out, and that's the discussion we were having late last night, about how we proceeded with this deal. And I'm really pleased to be able to come here today, and actually to be able to do it on VE Day is really significant because, of course, the US was standing there as our ally, 80 years ago today. So today is an opportunity to reflect on the fact that today we stand together as allies on security and defense, of course. there are no two countries that are closer on security and defense, but now we add trade and economy to those issues where we're the closest of allies. I'm really pleased about that.
(08:19)
Then Hugo. Hugo.
Hugo Gye (08:31):
Thank you, Prime Minister. Hugo Gye from the i-Paper. Just the other day, President Trump threatened to put tariffs on the film industry. Obviously, Britain has a huge film sector. Have you asked him to take that threat off the table? What did he say? And if he hasn't taken that off the table, how are you going to stop that becoming a reality?
Keir Starmer (08:48):
Well, obviously, there aren't any tariffs in place on film at the moment and of course, we are discussing it with the president's team. We'll take the same approach as we've taken on other issues, whether it's tariffs imposed, which we've been able to reduce, or potential tariffs, in areas like pharmaceuticals or film. We'll take the same approach, because, for me, what matter is acting in the national interest, and making sure that everything that we do is good for working people in this country. Whether it's steel and aluminum, whether it's car-building, whether it's pharmaceuticals or film, we are brilliant at these things. And therefore I will act in the national interest, and have those discussions on film, as we've done on other issues with the president.
(09:36)
Thank you all very much indeed. Thank you, and I'll now talk to some of the workforce, if I may. How are you all?
