Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the government has a strong case to avoid tariffs on UK-made steel entering the US.

Speaking to an audience at an event in London, Reynolds said that the steel and aluminium exported by Britain to the U.S. tended to be "sensitive defence" products and parts that formed part of the wider U.S. manufacturing supply chain, and he would be seeking to negotiate on that basis.

Britain will seek exemptions on Donald Trump’s sweeping steel tariffs, the Business Secretary has indicated, saying the UK is in a strong position to secure leniency from the US.

Britain is making a case to the U.S. government for its steel and aluminium products to be exempt from tariffs. The argument is based on the vital role these goods play in the U.S. defense sector and its manufacturing supply chains,