UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will make a personal appeal for a trade deal to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington this week, aiming to “defend British interests” and secure preferential treatment on tariffs.

Questions about a possible US trade deal continue to overshadow Rachel Reeves’s mission to Washington as she prepares for talks with her US counterpart. The Chancellor has travelled to the US capital for the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s spring meetings with finance ministers from the G7 and G20 this week.

Rachel Reeves tonight insisted there is hope of a US trade deal as she said her visit to America was about more than just 'damage limitation' from Donald Trump 's tariffs. Fears are mounting for the UK economy today after a closely-watched index showed the worst slowdown in more than two years.