He said it was necessary to protect the domestic steel industry from a flood of cheap imports. The move comes amid reservations by former Boris Johnson ethics adviser Christopher Gide that tariffs on steel could put Britain at risk of violating World Trade Organization rules. He mentioned the issue as worrying in his resignation letter 12 days ago. Although he later clarified his comments, saying the issue was a “distraction” from the real reasons for his resignation, Lord Geidt told the Daily Telegraph that the tariff policy proposal was “just an example of what could still be intentional breach of his resignation by the United Kingdom. obligations under international law “. The duties were originally imposed as part of an EU “safeguard” measure in 2018 and were re-imposed last year by the United Kingdom. Many steel mills are located in “red wall” constituencies, such as Scunthorpe and South Wales, which are crucial to the government’s prospects for a general election. The government issued an information document prior to the announcement, explaining the risk that “imports in increased quantities would be repeated if they were not subject to a tariff quota” and would cause “damage” to domestic industry.
