Donald Trump will press ahead with a new 10% import tariff on UK goods, along with 60 other nations, over claims trading partners failed to properly stop forced labour.
The US president’s decision follows allegations that the countries have failed to tackle forced labour in their supply chains.
The measures, which are due to come into force on Friday, will impose duties of 10% from major trading partners including the UK, Canada, Japan, India and countries across the European Union.
It follows a US Supreme Court ruling in February that found many of Donald Trump’s earlier global tariffs, introduced under emergency powers, had been imposed unlawfully.
The fresh tariffs came just hours before temporary 10% levies expired.
They were introduced after the Supreme Court overturned Mr Trump’s previous import tax regime in February.
At the direction of the US president, ambassador Jamieson Greer is imposing the charges on Britain and 59 other countries.
Mr Greer said: “President Trump recognises that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labour from global supply chains.
“The United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it. It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.”
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere.”
The duties are expected to apply to billions of dollars’ worth of imports, although products including oil, gas, fertiliser and some goods already covered by national security tariffs are expected to be exempt.
It comes just days after Trump announced 50% tariffs on some Canadian imports, using Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
The act allows a US president to impose punitive tariffs of up to 50% on trading partners deemed to have discriminated against American goods.
The move marked the first known use of the law in almost a century.
The Canadian tariffs, which are due to take effect in 30 days, will also apply to products including dairy goods, swimming pools, furniture, fishing rods, seeds, clothing and wigs, among other items.
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