Tariff fears for firms after Trump election win

Elisabeth Lewis-Jones said the election would have a real impact on her business

Concerns about future trade agreements with America have been raised by West Midlands businesses after Donald Trump’s victory in the US election.

The Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce held a special breakfast briefing on Wednesday as the results came in.

Expert speakers looked at the poll and the potential impact on British-American trade.

Business executives raised concerns about future tariffs from Trump but also welcomed the certainty of knowing the outcome and being able to plan.

During his campaign, Trump proposed tariffs of up to 60% on goods made in China and of at least 10% on other imports.

Elisabeth Lewis-Jones, chief executive of Liquid, said Trump’s last presidency brought tariffs on UK and EU goods going into America, adding: “I’m expecting the same to happen.”

She said Liquid represented North Carolina sweet potato producers and US dried pea and lentil producers in the UK and the election result would have a “real impact”.

She said there was no trade agreement after Brexit with the UK and America but there were Memorandums of Understanding with particular states, adding: “I can see us building on those.”

Business executives gathered in Birmingham to watch the results come in

Janie Frampton, founder of Team You Development, said Trump was not an unknown quantity, adding: “We sort of know what we’re getting.”

Ms Frampton, whose firm works for big sports organisations and companies across the Caribbean, said: “At the moment I haven’t stepped back into the US for some years, and if I’m honest, I’m not even sure I want to…. The way Trump speaks absolutely impinges on my values as a human being.”

Janie Frampton raised concerns about Trump's values but said he was not an unknown quantity

Andy Dawson, director and co-founder at business consultancy Curium Solutions, said the “decisive” result provided some certainty and businesses could start to plan, adding: “We want more certainty and less uncertainty. So at least we know what we’re facing.”

He said there were concerns over any potential impacts of tariffs on global trade and also questions over American policies around the world, including in Ukraine and the Middle East.

“We’ll see what really happens now in his first 100 days," he added.

Fiona Latter, programme manager with the West Midlands Combined Authority, said the result was expected but she was surprised at the scale of Trump’s victory.

She said there were concerns about the impact on women’s rights in the US, adding: “Women are more than 50% of the worldwide population. Why is their voice being compromised at this moment? I just feel nervous about it.”

During the American election campaign, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said his opponent, Kamala Harris had "implemented dangerously liberal policies that have left women worse off financially and far less safe than we were four years ago under President Trump”.