THE UK Government is "standing up for the Scotch whisky sector" and is working to persuade the US to remove its damaging tariffs, Conor Burns, the international trade minister, has insisted.
During Commons question-time Mr Burns told MPs UK ministers would “stand up for the Scots whisky sector" and criticised the SNP for “chuntering,” urging its MPs to get behind the Government. Given the tense trade atmosphere, he advised them against making "unwise and unwelcome" attacks on Donald Trump.
The minister was responding to a question from new SNP MP Kenny MacAskill, who warned that Scotch whisky distilleries in his constituency were threatened by the US President's tariffs.
"Glenkinchie distillery, in my constituency, is threatened by the tariffs imposed on Scotch whisky by President Trump given the decision to leave the EU and seek a trade deal with the USA and given threats about changes to the definition of Scotch whisky.
"What assurances can the minister give that we won't be washing down chlorinated chicken with a glass of American rye?" asked the MP for East Lothian.
In October, a 25 per cent tariff on single malt Scotch whisky exports to the United States was introduced. The current row over the UK’s decision to press ahead with a digital sales tax on US tech giants like Google and Facebook has raised fears that Washington could seek to impose more punitive taxes on British imports.
Mr Burns insisted the Government would “work for the Scots whisky industry".
But he warned: "I would gently say to the honourable gentleman that, if we are to de-escalate these tariff disputes, attacks on the administration and on the President are unwise and unwelcome.
"We are working across Government to persuade the United States that these tariffs are damaging to the Scots whisky sector.
"If the SNP wouldn't chunter, and get behind us, we might have more chance of removing those tariffs,” declared the minister.
He added: "We will seek to stand up for the Scots whisky sector, persuade the United States to remove these tariffs - the Secretary of State has been in touch with trade representative Lighthizer.
"We will work for the Scots whisky industry. Get behind the Government," he added.
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