Rachel Reeves will meet White House officials next week as hopes grow that a trade deal with Washington is close.
The Chancellor confirmed yesterday she will have ‘conversations with the US administration’ when she travels to America for a summit.
It comes as White House officials said they believe a UK-US trade deal could be reached within three weeks.
London is reportedly in a good position to strike an agreement with Washington after US vice president JD Vance predicted a ‘great’ trade deal.
In Scunthorpe yesterday Ms Reeves said: ‘Conversations with our US counterparts are ongoing.
‘I will be in Washington next week for the International Monetary Fund annual meetings, their spring meetings. I will also be having conversations with the US administration whilst I’m there.
‘The key thing for the UK Government is always acting in the national interest and any deal able to be secured will always have front-and-centre British national interest.’
Asked on the progress of any deal, she said: ‘We are in active negotiations at the moment with our US counterparts on a whole range of issues concerning the tariffs.’
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office
Rachel Reeves will meet White House officials next week as hopes grow for a trade deal with Washington
However last night President Trump still appeared to be playing hardball over negotiations as he said he is in ‘no rush’ to reach any trade deals because of the revenues his tariffs are generating.
During a press conference with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni he said: ‘We [the US] are taking in tremendous amounts of money with the tariffs.
‘We were treated very unfairly with trade and countries are getting used to the fact that they can’t do that to us anymore.’
Ms Meloni said Mr Trump had accepted her invitation to visit Italy for an official visit.
Speaking in the Oval Office, she said: ‘The goal for me is to make the West great again and I think together we can do that.’ Mr Trump responded: ‘We can.’
He added that his baseline tariffs of 10 per cent on all US imports will stay in place.
UK Government sources said talks were ‘progressing positively’ with the US but said the UK wasn’t rushing to be the first country to secure a deal.
They said the two sides are ‘constantly’ working together but reluctant to put a time frame an agreement, adding: ‘We’re not rushing to be the first country to do a deal – we want to get the right deal’.
However last night President Trump (pictured above with Prime Minister Keir Starmer) still appeared to be playing hardball over negotiations as he said he is in ‘no rush’ to reach any trade deals because of the revenues his tariffs are generating
Kemi Badenoch said she feared Labour was ‘too close’ to China in its pursuit of growth
But yesterday Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she feared Labour was ‘too close’ to China in its pursuit of growth which could impact a deal with the US.
Concerns have been raised about Labour cosying up to Beijing after ministers were forced to wrest control of British Steel from a Chinese company.
While on the campaign trail for local elections, Ms Badenoch said: ‘I worry that this Government is too close to [China].’
When asked about a US trade deal, Ms Badenoch cautioned the UK shouldn’t change its laws. Reports yesterday from the US suggest an agreement could be close after UK government insiders indicated an announcement on the talks was imminent.
The Daily Telegraph reported a deal could be finalised within three weeks and Mr Vance has said Mr Trump wants to agree a ‘great’ deal because of his ‘cultural affinity’ with the UK.
‘And, of course, fundamentally America is an Anglo country,’ he added.
