Local MP Will Forster has launched his ‘Buy Woking, Back Britain’ campaign to support local businesses in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariffs announced this week.

Mr Forster, the Lib-Dem MP for Woking, said that people should “rally round” local businesses at risk from the economic shock caused by Donald Trump’s trade war, including local producers and high street shops.

Surrey Liberal Democrats are also calling on the Government to come forward with a raft of measures to help businesses stay afloat and protect Woking’s high streets, including overhauling business rates.

Mr Forster added that further distress has been caused to consumers after it was reported in The Times newspaper that tariffs on US beef, chicken and pork would all be slashed in a proposed agreement between Trump and the UK.

He said the US president’s tariffs on the UK are a blow to British manufacturing, with F1’s McLaren, based in Woking, facing serious consequences as 42 percent of its cars are sold in the US.

“These tariffs threaten jobs, investment, and innovation, not just in Woking but across the UK’s high-performance engineering sector,” he said.

“This is why we must prioritise supporting British businesses at home. Buying British helps protect our industries, our workers, and our economy from the damaging effects of trade barriers imposed by other.”

It was recently estimated that Trump’s tariffs could wipe out up to 1 percent of GDP which would severely impact British businesses. The measures announced by the US President will see 10 percent tariffs on UK exports and 25 percent tariffs on all automotive exports to the US.

Mr Forster said: “People in Woking are deeply concerned about the impact that Donald Trump’s disastrous trade war could have on our living standards, local businesses, and especially the largest single employer in Woking – McLaren.

“That is why I am launching a ‘Buy Woking, Back Britain,’ campaign, to encourage people to play their part in supporting our fantastic local businesses and high street shops at this difficult time.

“The Liberal Democrats are also urging the Government to unleash the potential of our local high-streets by reforming business rates, and dropping their jobs tax, which is set to hammer businesses in the coming days.”

The Liberal Democrats have outlined a number of steps the Government should already be taking to back British businesses in the face of Trump’s tariffs and stagnant economic growth. They included scrapping the Employers National Insurance Contribution rise and overhauling the business rates system.

This, the Lib Dems said, would unleash the growth potential of high streets and British manufacturers.