Last week, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West & Shirley, and Saqib Bhatti MBE, Member of Parliament for Meriden & Solihull East, travelled to Washington D.C. to represent the interests of the UK automotive sector and strengthen transatlantic ties.
The visit, organised by the Coalition for Global Prosperity (CGP), brought together a cross-party delegation of British Members of Parliament for a series of high-level meetings with Members of the United States Congress and senior business leaders. Discussions spanned a broad range of global issues, including the international economy, the conflict in Ukraine, international development, and the enduring importance of Anglo-American cooperation.
A key focus for Mr Bhatti and Dr Shastri-Hurst was the recently announced 25% US tariff on cars and automotive components - a policy that poses significant challenges to UK manufacturers, including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) based in Solihull, which has currently suspended vehicle exports to the United States.
In their meetings on Capitol Hill, the Solihull MPs reiterated their steadfast support for the UK’s world-leading automotive sector and emphasised the need for open and fair trading arrangements. Over a working breakfast and during a roundtable with Congressman Richard Hudson, Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska, the MPs made the case for a forward-looking UK-US trade agreement.
Speaking after the visit, Dr Shastri-Hurst and Mr Bhatti reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the voices of British manufacturers are heard on the international stage. They also underscored the strategic importance of the UK’s special relationship with the United States and the opportunity to build a trade partnership fit for the future.
Commenting, Dr Neil-Shastri-Hurst MP said:
I am grateful to the Coalition of Global Prosperity for facilitating this timely delegation to Washington DC, which included a number of meetings at the Capitol on a potential future UK-US trade partnership. These meetings provided an opportunity for policymakers and stakeholders from both sides of the Atlantic to come together to discuss how both nations can benefit from a comprehensive trade deal.
The golden thread that ran through every conversation with members of the legislature was the importance of the enduring partnership between the UK and USA. We were all in agreement that this special relationship must remain paramount in the years ahead.
With so many of my constituents working within the automotive sector, either at JLR in Solihull or Aston Martin in Gaydon, I was pleased to be able to highlight the impact of tariffs on UK car manufacturers and why a free trade agreement is in the wider interests of both businesses and customers.
Commenting, Saqib Bhatti MBE MP said:
It was a privilege to visit the United States alongside a cross-party group of MPs to learn more about the special relationship. Given the international trade situation, I was very clear in all my meetings that nobody wins in a trade war and that tariffs are a bad thing.
The world as we know it is turning rapidly. There is deep political and economic uncertainty, and I put my concerns about President Trump’s tariffs to US Congressmen.
Every Congressman and Senator I met acknowledged the close relationship between our two nations, and I am steadfast in my belief that we need an even deeper and more prosperous friendship to navigate a more dangerous and uncertain world.
