John Swinney to press Donald Trump on whisky tariffs and Gaza
The First Minister will make the case that the 'blunt human reality' of starvation in the enclave requires urgent international action.
READ MORE: John Swinney to discuss 'horrific' Gaza humanitarian crisis with Donald Trump
'There must be an intensification of pressure on Israel,' Swinney said in a BBC interview. 'President Trump is ideally positioned – perhaps uniquely positioned – to ensure safe passage for humanitarian aid and push for a durable ceasefire. The people of Gaza face absolutely unbearable conditions.'
Swinney will also press Trump to exclude Scotch whisky from the current 10% US tariff on UK exports. He argued the 'uniqueness' of Scottish whisky production merits special exemption.
'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world', Swinney said.
'So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place.
'Obviously the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry.
'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whiskey should be exempted from those tariffs.
'It's a product that is uniquely produced in Scotland, and it's a product that is much welcomed and supported within the United States.
'And I think there's a really good case for exempting Scotch whisky, and this is an opportunity that I have to put that case to President Trump on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry, which is a significant part of the Scottish economy.'
Swinney said the tariffs are currently costing the industry around £4 million each week, describing them as a 'significant burden'. He added that reaching a deal would support economic growth and development in Scotland.
'Obviously, I'll be using every opportunity I have to try to put that across to President Trump', he continued.
His interventions come as Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Trump for broader discussions on the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the future of UK-US trade.
While a recent UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal eased some barriers, tariffs on British steel remain unresolved. Industry leaders had feared a hike to 50%, but the current 25% rate still poses challenges, particularly with no new agreement following a July 9 deadline set by the Trump administration.
READ MORE: Donald Trump to meet John Swinney and Keir Starmer for Gaza talks
Downing Street said both governments are working "at pace" to provide long-term certainty for UK industry and deliver tangible benefits to workers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trump is also expected to discuss the war in Ukraine with Starmer, including coordinated efforts to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the invasion. After their meetings in Ayrshire, the pair will travel to Aberdeen for a private engagement.
Trump struck a trade deal between the US and EU during his meeting with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry on Sunday. The agreement introduces a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US – down from a previously threatened 30% – and includes significant energy commitments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Starmer's green taxes could destroy North Sea oil, Trump claims
Donald Trump lashed out at Keir Starmer over taxes on North Sea oil and gas today in his latest lecture to the Prime Minister about how he runs Britain. The day after pouring praise over Sir Keir as they met face-to-face in Scotland the president took to social media to complain about levies on fossil fuels, saying they are 'so high ... it makes no sense'. 'North Sea Oil is a treasure chest for the United Kingdom,' he said. 'The taxes are so high, however, that it makes no sense. They have essentially told drillers and oil companies that, ''we don't want you''. 'Incentivize the drillers, fast. A vast fortune to be made for the UK, and far lower energy costs for the people!' Mr Trump will cut the ribbon on a second 18-hole course at his resort in Menie, Aberdeenshire before he flies back to the US on Air Force One. The president has played several rounds of golf during his Scottish trip, teeing off at his other resort in Turnberry, Ayrshire, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. As they met at Turnberry for bilateral talks on trade and the situation in Gaza, Mr Trump and Sir Keir took part in what proved to be a lengthy press conference, with the president discussing a number of topics. The Republican Party leader spoke of his 'great love' for Scotland and said he wanted to see the nation 'thrive'. The PM stood up for green energy, saying: 'We believe in a mix, and obviously oil and gas will be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear (power),' he said. Trump also used the wide-ranging press conference to advise his 'not too liberal' friend to cut taxes and immigration if he wanted to beat Nigel Farage at the next election. Without any awkwardness about playing one mate off against the other the president used the hour-long televised bromantic encounter on the plane to tell the PM to cut taxes and stop 'murderers and drug dealers' from coming to Britain. While Sir Keir sat beside him, barely speaking and with an impassive look on his face, he was full of praise for the Prime Minister and the way he was running the country, despite their ideological differences, saying Sir Keir was was 'liberal ..but not too liberal' in his approach. Mr Trump added: 'I think the one that's toughest and most competent on immigration is going to win the election, but then you add… low taxes, and you add the economy. (Sir Keir) did a great thing with the economy, because a lot of money is going to come in because of the deal that was made. But I think that, I think that immigration is now bigger than ever before.'
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
RNLI defends small boat rescues amid anti-immigration protests
The UK's largest lifeboat charity has said it will continue to rescue migrants who get into trouble while trying to cross the Channel in small boats, saying its staff work 'without judgement or preference'. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has faced criticism over small boat rescues, but has insisted its job is to 'rescue anyone in trouble at sea'. Data released by the charity showed Channel crossing incidents made up just 1.2 per cent of its total launches in 2024. Recent weeks have seen a string of protests across the UK outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers amid a rise in tensions over immigration. Police have clashed with demonstrators and counter-protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, after an asylum seeker was charged with alleged sexual assault. Hundreds of protesters have gathered on five occasions across the last three weeks, wearing T-shirts and waving signs with slogans such as 'save our kids'. The protests have sparked fears of widespread unrest, as seen after the Southport stabbings last summer, and demonstrations have also taken place outside hotels in Leeds, Greater Manchester, and London. But volunteers from the charity have urged people to remember migrants who find themselves in dangerous situations at sea 'genuinely need help'. Dan Sinclair, who volunteers with Walmer RNLI, said as a father, scenes he has seen in the Channel go 'straight through my heart'. ''One thing that I would like people to understand and to realise is that when we are tasked to a small boat somewhere in the Channel, these people genuinely need our help,' he said. 'They are in distress. They're in unseaworthy boats offshore, taking on water in all states and conditions. They could be frozen, their legs could be paralysed, they can't talk, they've been in that position for ages, they could be crushed, families separated. We're doing what we can to try and help save every single person, to keep families united and to keep people alive.' He remembered one particular 'horrible, horrible' situation where a family was stuck on a boat sinking in front of their eyes. 'There was a little girl on that boat, she looked at me straight in the eye and said: 'I love you, thank you,'' he said. 'As a father, that was straight through my heart. When I got home, I knew I had to go speak to my daughter and give her a big cuddle and a big kiss. It just put lots of things into perspective that these people need our help.' The RNLI rescued 1,371 people from incidents involving small boats crossing the channel in 2024, the charity said, making up 3.7 per cent of the total number of people recorded to have crossed the Channel in small boats last year. It comes ahead of the return of Saving Lives at Sea on BBC Two this week. RNLI head of lifeboats Simon Ling said: 'Our volunteer lifeboat crews are normal people doing extraordinary things, often in the most challenging circumstances imaginable and we are extremely proud of their continued commitment to saving lives at sea. 'The crew testimony and rescue footage show the reality of what our volunteer lifeboat crews face when they launch to the aid of people crossing the Channel at the request of HM Coastguard. They are often confronted with highly challenging rescue scenarios, involving large numbers of distressed people in the water. 'We are incredibly proud of our crews who continue to respond selflessly to their pagers, day or night, simply to help others. We know that anyone can drown but no one should and each time our crews are requested to launch by HM Coastguard they do so knowing that someone's father, mother, son or daughter need our help. 'We are a voluntary lifesaving rescue service, and will rescue anyone in trouble at sea, as the RNLI has been doing for more than 200 years, without judgement or preference.' Saving Lives at Sea airs on BBC Two at 8pm on Thursday.
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Welfare cuts will still plunge thousands into poverty despite U-turn, MPs warn
Tens of thousands of people are still at risk of being pushed into poverty due to Labour's welfare cuts despite last-minute changes to the plans, a group of MPs has warned. Around 50,000 people who become disabled or ill will face poverty by the end of the decade because of the remaining reforms, the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee has found. A cut to the health-related element of Universal Credit (UC health) which will take effect from April next year and will see monthly payments nearly halved for most new claimants, dropping from £423.27 to £217.26. At the same time, the standard rate of Universal Credit will increase for all claimants by £17.39 a month, from £400.14 to £417.53. This marks the first time the benefit has been uprated above the inflation rate (CPI). These extra-inflationary increases will continue until at least 2029/30, by which point they will amount to an extra £725 in cash terms for a single person aged 25 or over, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says. The committee welcomed this 'much-needed and long-overdue increase' but added that its MPs remain critical of the 'failure' to assess the impact of UC health cuts on poverty, health and employment. This is now the main measure that the bill will deliver after the government removed changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) following the threat of a major backbench rebellion by over 100 Labour MPs. The health and disability-linked benefit will instead by subject to a fully-consulted review by social security Minister Sir Stephen Timms, due to be completed in autumn 2026. Committee chair Debbie Abrahams said: 'We welcome the concessions that the government made to the UC and PIP Bill (now the UC Bill); but there are still issues with these welfare reforms not least with the cut in financial support that newly sick and disabled people will receive. 'The government's own analysis published in March indicates that from next April approximately 50,000 people who develop a health condition or become disabled – and those who live with them - will enter poverty by 2030 as a result of the reduction in support of the UC health premium. 'We agree in a reformed and sustainable welfare system, but we must ensure that the wellbeing of those who come into contact with it is protected. The lesson learned from last month should be that the impact of policy changes to health-related benefits must be assessed prior to policy changes being implemented to avoid potential risks to claimants.' A government spokesperson said: 'Our welfare reforms will support those who can work into jobs and ensure there is always a safety net for those that need it. The impact assessment shows our reforms will lift 50,000 children out of poverty – and our additional employment support will lift even more families out of poverty. 'The reforms will rebalance Universal Credit rates to reduce the perverse incentives that trap people out of work, alongside genuinely helping disabled people and those with long-term health conditions into good, secure work – backed by £3.8bn in employment support over this parliament. 'We are also tackling poverty by extending free school meals to all households on Universal Credit, helping to address holiday hunger with our Crisis and Resilience Fund, supporting over a million households by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions, and delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, as part of our Plan for Change.'
