NEW US import tariffs on 60 trading partners, including Britain, China and the European Union, will lead to job losses and reduced earnings around the world, the GMB union warned today.

US President Donald Trump slapped levies of between 10 and 12.5 per cent on all goods, claiming those targeted had failed to properly tackle forced labour.

They were imposed as identical tariffs were due to expire and erased competitive advantages Britain had over the EU in some goods sectors.

GMB national secretary Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said: “Trump’s latest tariffs are ill-judged, potentially catastrophic for business and likely to utterly fail in their stated aim.

“Despite claiming they have been introduced to prevent forced labour, in fact they will lead to job losses and reduced earnings for workers across the world.

“The EU now has a better trading relationship with the US than we do — which undermines the so-called ‘special relationship.’

“Once again, the president’s knee-jerk actions will gain nothing, hurt US business and take dollars out of people’s pockets.”

The White House had threatened tariffs on imports from Britain and Europe that introduce digital services taxes, with Britain having said it will impose a 2 per cent levy on the revenue of big tech firms.

British whisky will not be affected by the new tariffs, after Mr Trump struck a deal to exempt the tipple during King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the US.

Communist Party general secretary Alex Gordon said: “It’s another shakedown from the world’s foremost felon.

“Trump’s claim that his latest tariffs are a response to forced labour is from the familiar playbook of US new cold war methodology.

“This is the administration that accuses Cuban medical brigades of using forced labour while the US maintains the largest prison population in the world, in which forced labour is a critical element.”

The previous US levies were due to expire today. They were imposed temporarily after Mr Trump’s so-called Liberation Day levies were struck down by the US Supreme Court in February.

Exemptions on oil and gas, fertilisers, aircraft and parts, some critical minerals, foodstuffs, automotive, steel, aluminum and copper will continue.

A government spokesman said: “We take forced labour very seriously to ensure that in global supply chains UK businesses are not complicit.”