Ben Chu

London

Policy & Analysis Correspondent BBC Verify Author of "Exile Economics: What Happens if Globalisation Fails", published May 2025

Articles

The impact of Trump tariffs ruling - in numbers

4 weeks ago | sg.news.yahoo.com | Ben Chu

The US Court of International Trade on Wednesday struck down President Donald Trump's tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The court ruled IEEPA did not give the president the authority to impose certain tariffs. This affects the "fentanyl" tariffs imposed by the White House on Canada, Mexico, China since Trump returned to the White House. These tariffs were brought in to curb smuggling of the narcotic into the US.
What does court ruling mean for Trump's tariff agenda?

4 weeks ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu

Where does court ruling leave Trump's tariff agenda? Ben ChuPolicy and analysis correspondent, BBC VerifyGetty ImagesThe US Court of International Trade on Wednesday struck down President Donald Trump's tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The court ruled IEEPA did not give the president the authority to impose certain tariffs.
Reversing globalisation won’t make the world a safer place

1 month ago | capx.co | Ben Chu

23 May 2025 @BenChu_ Pearl Harbor was a miscalculation born of imperial fanaticism – but also resource nationalism. Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty ImagesPearl Harbor was a miscalculation born of imperial fanaticism – but also resource nationalism.
Who are the winners and losers?

1 month ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu |Tom Edgington |Tamara Kovacevic

Who are the winners and losers from the UK-EU agreement? Ben Chu, Tom Edgington and Tamara KovacevicGetty ImagesA deal to "reset" relations between the UK and the EU following Brexit has been agreed at a summit in London. The agreement covers a range of issues, including defence, fishing, the trade in food products and the ability of young people to move freely between the UK and the EU. BBC Verify has gone through the deal, picking out the potential winners and losers.
What are the government's plans and the challenges?

1 month ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu |Tom Edgington |Rob England |Lucy Gilder

What are the challenges facing the government's immigration plan? Ben Chu, Tom Edgington, Rob England and Lucy GilderBBCWhen it comes to reducing UK immigration, there have been plenty of promises and targets from successive governments over the last 15 years, but the numbers remain high. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now pledging to "take back control of our borders", promising tighter rules to bring down the numbers "significantly".
Why is there a threat of new strikes over public sector pay? - BBC News

1 month ago | bbc.co.uk | Ben Chu

BBC Verify examines why political pressure over public sector pay and industrial action has re-emerged.
Why is there a threat of new strikes over public sector pay?

2 months ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu

Why might public sector workers go on strike again? Getty ImagesThe government ended a wave of public sector strikes last summer when it accepted, in full, the recommendations of independent public sector pay review bodies to increase the pay of teachers, nurses and others. But ministers might be facing another headache over pay and the possibility of a fresh threat of strikes from some unions. BBC Verify examines why this pressure over public sector pay and industrial action has re-emerged.
How much vital UK infrastructure does China own?

2 months ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu |Lucy Gilder

Ben Chu & Lucy GilderBBC VerifyThe fate of the Scunthorpe steel works has shone a fresh spotlight on Chinese investment in the UK economy with critics raising questions over potential security risks. The British Steel plant had been owned by China's Jingye Steel. But the UK government has now taken control of the Scunthorpe site, amid claims the Chinese owners were planning to permanently decommission its two blast furnaces and use its rolling mills to process imported Chinese-made metal instead.
What does Trump's tariff pause mean for global trade?

2 months ago | bbc.com | Ben Chu

There has been a historic upheaval in American trade policy. The announcement of Donald Trump's so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on 2 April - what he called "liberation day" - sent a shockwave through the global trading system and financial markets. And the President's 90-day pause on some of these tariffs on 9 April set off a relief rally in stock markets. But where has the rollercoaster of new US tariff announcements - and partial reversals - actually left the situation?
What would a US-China trade war do to the world economy?

2 months ago | namibian.com.na | Ben Chu

A full-scale trade war with China and the US is in prospect after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of more than 100% on Chinese goods imports. China has said it will “fight to the end” rather than capitulate to what it sees as US coercion, and will hike its own tariffs on American goods from 34% to 84% in response to the White House’s latest move. What does this escalating trade conflict mean for the world economy?