Trade Justice Movement | 30 July 2025

UK must stand with Global South against unfair US trade tactics

As the next US-imposed tariff deadline of 1st August looms, a coalition of trade justice campaigners are urging the UK Government to speak out against Donald Trump’s escalating tariff threats, warning that they will deepen economic hardship in Global South countries.

The US has issued letters to various countries, reiterating accusations of unfair trade practices and threats of eye-watering tariffs. The ongoing uncertainty is already disrupting the economies of countries in the Global South. The tariffs could sound the death knell for crucial industries and livelihoods. Lesotho has already declared a state of emergency in response to the looming crisis.

The coalition has condemned the tariffs as unfair and unrealistic, stressing that they undermine the principle of Special and Differential Treatment, a long-standing cornerstone of the global trading system, designed to protect countries in the Global South, rules to which the UK is supposedly deeply committed.

Tom Wills, Director of the Trade Justice Movement, said:“The UK can’t sit on the sidelines while Donald Trump threatens some of the world’s poorest countries with arbitrary and punitive tariffs. Global South countries are already being pushed to the brink by climate change, debt, and aid cuts. This is a clear test of the government’s commitment to fair and sustainable trade, and silence is not an option.”

Ruth Bergan, Head of Advocacy at Transform Trade, said:“The recent UK trade strategy says that trade must “do its bit” to ensure that prosperity is fairly shared, both at home and overseas. These tariff proposals fundamentally threaten that goal and the decades-old principle of differential treatment for the Global South. The UK must use its diplomatic influence to defend fair trade principles and support equitable, sustainable development.”

Letter to UK government on US tariff threats to Global South countries (pdf)