None of it actually makes any sense. Like, zero.

Because how the tariffs have been calculated have nothing to do with the tariffs actually imposed on the US by trade partners.

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It's a mental calculation, that has no obvious link to actual trade policy. So the UK has not "done anything" versus the EU that has led to this better outcome. This is not a result of the planned state visit and brown nosing from Charlie, or Brexit, or Starmer not arguing in public and only saying nice things...its just us being less successful at exporting goods to the US that the EU. Simple as that.

Ironically, if Brexit had actually worked, and we had actually struck a trade deal with the US, and we had actually exported a lot more goods to the US as a result, which is what was promised, then we would now be getting whacked with a much higher tariff. So yeah, this is another tremendous argument.

That said....I guess if we were still in the EU then indeed, we would have had 20% imposed on us too by association. So even though there is zero logic, I guess this might be viewed as a "Brexit dividend" of some kind, in the weird upside down world we currently live in.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this "the US has been plundered" narrative. On any reasonable basis (e.g. GDP per capita), the US is one of the richest countries in the world. Take away the small tax havens and some small oil and gas rich nations, and they are basically the absolute richest country in the world, with lavish resources per person. In what way has the US been "plundered" then? By all the poor sods working for a dollar a day in sweat shops around the world? Are they the ones that have f**ked you?

If the life of the average US citizen is w**k, its not because of a lack of money in the country. Someone might want to have a think about how that money is shared out though.

Posted By: Under soil heating, Apr 3, 09:20:23