GOVERNMENT pandering to Donald Trump is “shameful,” campaigners said today after No 10 claimed that Sir Keir Starmer trusts the US president to keep his word that a trade agreement with Britain “can be worked out.”

Mr Trump accused Britain of being “out of line” and hinted at an expansion of his tariff regime to Europe.

Labour ministers had previously suggested that Britain could avoid the tariffs — introduced as part of the US administration’s plans to address the country’s trade deficit — since Britain does not have a deficit with the US.

Mr Trump has announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico and a 10 per cent levy on Chinese goods.

All three nations have vowed to retaliate, sparking fears of a global trade war.

Asked today whether Sir Keir trusts Mr Trump to keep his word, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Yes, the Prime Minister has had a really constructive early set of conversations with President Trump and looks forward to working with him to deepen our trade, investment, security and defence relationship.”

Earlier, Sir Keir took a more cautious line, saying: “It is early days. What I want to see is strong trading relations.”

Meanwhile, new forecasts have found that stagnant growth late last year means that Britain’s economy will improve slower than previously predicted in 2025.

The EY Item Club cut this year’s GDP growth forecast for Britain to 1 per cent, down from an earlier estimate of 1.5 per cent, citing pressure on businesses from tax and wage increases due in April.

Campaign group Momentum told the Morning Star that the government was “prioritising growth over protecting working-class people and the planet.”

A spokesperson said that the latest forecast “speaks to the Labour leadership’s lack of vision to fix the crises facing Britain.

“We need a Labour government that will stand up for real Labour values and bring about a genuine end to austerity.”

On the issue of tariffs, the spokesperson added: “The government pandering to Trumpian politics is shameful.

“The Labour leadership must stand up to the far right, not just in the US but across the globe too.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “The UK economy has been stagnant for years because of the failures of Tory government. Turning this around will take time, but the Labour government is making the right calls on the big decisions.

“The Chancellor is boosting investment to revive UK industry and repair our public services, and the employment rights bill will help to get wages rising. The Bank of England must play its part in supporting growth too, with interest rate cuts to ease pressures on both families and businesses and support spending.”