By Democrat reporter
The Scotch Whisky Association has been left “disappointed” after President Donald Trump slapped a 10% tariff on US imports of UK goods.
The US president said his “liberation day” announcement was a “declaration of economic independence”.
Mr Trump confirmed that from midnight in Washington, 5am Thursday in the UK, a 25% tariff would be imposed on all foreign cars imported to the US – a move which experts fear could cost 25,000 jobs in the British car industry.
And he said tariffs of 10% would apply to other products from the UK – the same level as the global “baseline” he was setting for countries around the world as part of his “reciprocal” measures.
Whisky-related jobs locally from Auchentoshan to Chivas Brothers to Loch Lomondside – there are around 1500 of them – may be threatened as profits are hit by the Trump decision.
It is already being speculated that wages of workers in the whisky industry could be cut as distillers and bottlers’; profits drop on the back of this.
The Scotch Whisky Association have welcomed the UK government’s efforts to make a deal with their US counterparts, however, the introduction of the tariff has left the organisation concerned.
A spokesperson said: “The industry is disappointed that Scotch Whisky could be impacted by these tariffs. “We welcome the intensive efforts by the UK government to reach a deal with the US administration, and we continue to support this measured and pragmatic approach towards a mutually beneficial resolution.”
Other blocs with higher tariffs on US goods were hit with tougher import taxes by Mr Trump – for the European Union, which he said would attract a 20% rate.
The president also hit out at “exorbitant” VAT rates, which he views as a barrier to US firms seeking to sell into markets such as the UK where the taxes apply.
Speaking in the White House rose garden, Mr Trump said: “April 2, 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again.”
Trump confirms from Thursday in the UK, a 25% tariff will be imposed on all foreign cars imported to USA.
Sir Keir Starmer did everything he could to undermine Trump and to the extent of even sending a campaign team to the US to do just that.
After Trump’s election Starmer was openly hostile to Trump. Ditto the media and the BBC were utterly supportive of that hostility. Starmer has thus made an enemy of Trump. Smart Mr Starmer – eh?
No surprise then that if there is an exception or favour to be done that Trump might not be disposed to granting such a gift he would otherwise be minded to have given.
But worry not about Scotch whisky. In a piece over the weekend a global investment consultancy said that due to the UK’s debt burden of £2.7 trillion, the UK’s shrinking economy and now a trade tariff war that the UK will suffer from, Great Britain could be heading for a Greek Debt Crisis.
But fear not folks, In four page flyer being put through letterboxes across the country and entitled Scotland’s Voice, Anas Sarwar has declared that ” Scotland’s best days are ahead of us ”
Now I don’t know about others but I find it difficult to think that anyone can believe this party political claptrap. And clap trap it is. The country is sinking and the dogs in the street know it. Stripped bare through neo liberal plunder. Stripped bare through the destruction of our manufacturing base. And now we pay the price.