Starmer is warned against ‘appeasing’ Trump with tax cut for US tech firms
Keir Starmer has been warned against “appeasing” Donald Trump as he considers reducing a major tax for US tech companies while cutting disability benefits and public sector jobs.
His chancellor, Rachel Reeves, confirmed on Sunday that there were “ongoing” discussions about the UK’s £1bn-a-year digital services tax that affects companies including Meta and Amazon.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/23/starmer-is-warned-against-appeasing-trump-with-tax-cut-for-us-tech-firmsOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.works
5 replies
UK here. We should be taxing these bastard's more not less. Much more.
I agree. He's going to hit us with tarrifs anyway, so we might as well.
The digital sales tax as it is brings in next to nothing and is set at just 2%. Do what the lib Dems have suggested and triple it. Then in my opinion when we do get hit by tarrifs triple it again from 6% to 18% as part of our retaliation package.
"Reducing a major tax for US tech companies while cutting disability benefits and public sector jobs" sound a lot more like ultra-submissive boot-liking or just plain selling off to foreign fatcast that anything anywhere as mild as "appeasing".
By European political standards, New Labour isn't Left, isn't Center-Left, it even isn't Center-Right: it's Hard-Right, specifically Neoliberal Hard-Right.
On the surface I'm against this but I guess it depends on what we get out of it. Ultimately, leaving the EU puts us in an awkward spot. We have to pick and choose our battles.