THE UK has admitted it has never heard of the ‘Aloo-min-um’ the US is supposedly imposing a 25 per cent tariff on.
The unknown substance has been grouped together with steel, suggesting that it is a metal of some kind, but extensive searches have not found anything answering to the unusual name.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “A loo is a toilet. So perhaps they’re referring to some kind of ‘loo minimum’.
“But we don’t even export toilets to the US, because they require reinforcing with titanium to accommodate their weightier citizens. Does Donald Trump want a loo? We can send him a loo. I’d imagine he’s already got one.
“Aloo-min-um. It sounds almost musical, like a cross between ‘allelujah’, ‘luminous’ and ’minim’. Perhaps it’s some form of orchestral supply item? Maybe the New York Philharmonic is gasping for it so they can perform a Gershwin season.
“Either way we’ve no clue what it is, so we’ll have to hope the tariff lasts longer than 48 hours then see if we can spot it on the export documents. Aloo-min-um. It’s fun to say!”
He added: “Aluminium? Can’t be that. The spelling’s completely different.”
