Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has refuted claims that free speech has been a topic in discussions with the US regarding tariffs. Reynolds, head of the Department for Business and Trade, stated this on Times Radio and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme after reports suggested that a deal could be in jeopardy due to a criminal case in Dorset. The US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) met with Livia Tossici-Bolt, an anti-abortion activist recently prosecuted for a buffer zone violation outside a Bournemouth abortion clinic. The DRL acknowledged the mutual respect for human rights but expressed concern over freedom of expression in the UK, stating they are monitoring Tossici-Bolt’s case. A US source was quoted by The Daily Telegraph warning “no free trade without free speech,” though Reynolds maintained that this has not influenced his trade negotiations. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the likelihood of Donald Trump’s tariffs impacting the UK, emphasizing the government’s efforts to negotiate a mitigating economic deal.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/01/uk-business-secretary-denies-free-speech-issue-featured-in-us-tariff-talks