Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected

Starmer's government accused of 'surrender' to Trump amid US tax cuts

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 24 Mar 2025 13:09
4 Min Read

The Labour government has been warned against appeasing Trump and Musk through potential US tech tax cuts while cutting disability benefits.

Listen
  • x
  • Starmer's government accused of 'surrender' to Trump amid US tax cuts
    Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and US President Donald Trump shake hands at a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House Thursday, February 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing criticism over potential plans to reduce the UK’s digital services tax on US tech giants while implementing welfare and public sector cuts, raising concerns about appeasing US President Donald Trump, The Guardian reported.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed ongoing discussions about the £1bn-a-year tax affecting companies like Meta and Amazon, though any changes would not be included in this week’s spring statement. She expressed optimism that Trump’s 25% tariffs on British steel could be lifted but did not rule out modifications to the tax. “You’ve got to get the balance right,” she said.

The Liberal Democrats warned that Labour risked “losing its moral compass,” arguing that scrapping the tax while cutting disability benefits would be like “robbing disabled people to appease [Elon] Musk and Trump.”

Labour MPs are also on edge over £5 billion in welfare reductions and Whitehall job cuts, with former shadow cabinet minister Rachael Maskell cautioning against “letting US tech companies off the hook while making disabled people pay for the revenue loss.”

MP Clive Lewis accused the government of an “abject surrender” to Trump’s influence, calling the move “extractive politics at its worst.” Meanwhile, technology committee chair Chi Onwurah warned that delaying artificial intelligence regulations to appease Trump could undermine safety concerns.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticized Labour’s approach, stating, “Appeasement never works with bullies, and it doesn’t work with Trump,” suggesting retaliatory tariffs on Tesla, owned by Musk, in response to US steel tariffs.

Related News

Majority in EU's big five feel bloc 'sold them out' to US: Poll

Trump foreign investment vows may turn US to state capitalism: Op-ed

Labour maintains that no final decision has been made on the digital services tax, with a Treasury spokesperson emphasizing that all taxes remain under review. However, opposition figures warn that prioritizing US tech firms over social welfare and public sector stability risks deepening domestic divisions.

An unrequited relationship

Starmer, in a recent interview with The New York Times, expressed admiration for Trump, saying, “I personally like and respect Donald Trump” and acknowledged his point about Europe’s need to contribute more to its own defense. His remarks have fueled further debate over the UK’s diplomatic stance amid ongoing US-UK trade negotiations.

Meanwhile, Starmer’s proposed “coalition of the willing” to enforce a Ukraine ceasefire has drawn skepticism from Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who dismissed it as a “posture and a pose” and controversially praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

An insider revealed to the Daily Mail that Trump has strong UK connections and favors operating through unconventional channels, which "suits him just fine." They dismissed Starmer as "irrelevant" and suggested that while a meeting might occur eventually, "the optics are more important" to the UK Prime Minister than to Trump.

The report speculated that Trump, when assuming office, might prioritize other world leaders over Starmer for invitations to Washington, following allegations of Labour Party involvement in US election affairs, according to the Daily Mail. 

Sources from the Mail suggest that Starmer will need to “eat humble pie” to secure a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House. In a Saturday report, the newspaper revealed that Trump’s advisors are weighing options to snub Starmer, including blocking the appointment of Labour figure Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington over his alleged connections to China.

Read more: UK weighs Russian asset seizure as Moscow warns of retaliation

  • US tariffs
  • United States
  • Keir Starmer
  • US
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • Taxes
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS