Reeves to make case for trade deal in first meeting with US treasury secretary

Chancellor will push for deal that protects British car, steel and pharmaceutical industries amid tariff uncertainty

Rachel Reeves will fly to Washington next week to meet her American counterpart for the first time, as the British government looks to intensify negotiations over a UK-US trade deal.

The chancellor will be in the US from Tuesday to Friday for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund. At the heart of her visit, though, will be talks with the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, whom British officials regard as one of their most likely allies in negotiating a deal.