The Bunker – News without the nonsense I’m steel standing! — Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
Apr 14, 2025
Rafael Behr, a Guardian columnist and political analyst, joins Jacob Jarvis to dissect current political events. They analyze the ongoing chaos surrounding Trump's tariffs and the intricate tensions in U.S.-China trade relations. Behr sheds light on Britain’s diplomatic strategies amid a crisis in its steel industry. The conversation highlights the challenges the UK faces with China and the evolving political landscape. Additionally, they address the complexities of recent deportation cases and the ramifications for political activism and voter sentiment.
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Trump's Tariff Mayhem
- Trump's trade policies are volatile, creating uncertainty in the markets.
- An internal battle exists within the administration between old-school business views and ideological approaches.
UK's Response to Tariffs
- The UK's approach to the tariff situation is to play it cool and keep diplomatic channels open.
- The effectiveness of this approach is debatable, as Britain's influence on US trade policy is limited.
British Steel and Nationalization
- The UK government's intervention in British Steel is effectively a nationalization, giving control to Jonathan Reynolds.
- This aims to maintain the UK's independent steel production capacity, which is deemed strategically important.