UK trade secretary to step up efforts over U.S. whisky tariff

LONDON (Reuters) - British trade secretary Liz Truss said she would step up talks with her counterpart in the United states to urge Washington to drop tariffs on single malt Scotch whisky after the U.S. decided to retain the levy.

The U.S. government on Wednesday said it would maintain 15% tariffs on Airbus <AIR.PA> aircraft and 25% tariffs on other European goods including Scotch whisky, as part of a long running dispute.

"These tariffs damage industry and livelihoods on both sides of the Atlantic and are in nobody's interests," Truss said in a statement. "I am therefore stepping up talks with the U.S. to remove them as soon as possible."

(Reporting by Kate Holton, editing by Estelle Shirbon)