Trump tariffs: Rachel Reeves appears to reject ‘Buy British’ campaign as ‘inward-looking’

Rachel Reeves has been urged to commit to a “Buy British” campaign to encourage people to purchase products made in the UK in the wake of US tariffs.

Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, asked the government to pursue the strategy as “part of a broader national effort” to offset the impacts of Donald Trump’s tariff regime.

Speaking at Treasury questions on Tuesday morning, Cooper said: “Will the chancellor and the government commit to a ‘Buy British’ campaign as part of a broader national effort to encourage people to buy British here at home and elsewhere?”

Reeves responded: “In terms of buying British, I think everyone will make their own decisions.

“What we don’t want to see is a trade war with Britain becoming inward-looking, because if every country in the world decided that they only wanted to buy things produced in their country, that’s not a good way forward.

“Our country has benefited hugely from access to global markets and we will continue to want to be able to do that because that is in our national interest for working people and for businesses in this country.”

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