A senior member of John Swinney’s Government has warned tariffs on whisky by President Trump could be “catastrophic”. But SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison said Ministers are “optimistic” the penalties on Scottish businesses will not happen.
Trump was sworn into office for a second time on Monday following his election victory in November. Concerns are growing about his promise to slap tariffs – a tax – on foreign goods in a bid to protect domestic US firms.
Industry believes tariffs would harm the export of Scotch whisky by making it harder to sell iconic products to a massive market like the US.
First Minister John Swinney spoke to Trump recently and Robison has reiterated the Government’s opposition to tariffs. Speaking to ITV Border, she said tariffs could be “catastrophic”, adding:
“And that is something we obviously are concerned about. We are in regular dialogue with the industry but we are expecting and being optimistic that it will not come to that. And that’s why the First Minster has been so front footed in addressing that at an early opportunity with Donald Trump directly.”
A Labour Minister in the Treasury also said “we need to see what the Trump administration do” but also claimed the President is “well known for wanting to do a good deal”. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: “Well, look, as you would expect, the Government has prepared for all scenarios.
“They’re hypothetical at this stage, we need to see what the Trump administration do.” Jones also said the UK and US are “strongly intertwined”, regardless of who is in the White House.
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