UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is under growing pressure to push the Trump administration to abandon plans to restrict diesel exports, including from political rivals with close ties to the President’s inner circle. Burnham did not raise the issue of a potential diesel ban with US President Donald Trump when they had their first meeting in New York on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter, despite the US supplying almost a third of UK imports of the fuel. The meeting instead focused on wider trade discussions and maintaining support for Ukraine, but critics have warned that the UK economy could be severely damaged if the US cuts supplies of a fuel critical to industry and agriculture. Diesel prices at the pump in the UK are close to a record high and on the brink of surpassing £2 a litre on average nationally for the first time, according to the RAC.

Robert Jenrick, the Treasury spokesperson for Reform UK, attempted to seize the initiative on Thursday, writing to US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent to warn him that a ban would be “a big mistake” that would threaten the UK’s “ability to fund our national security”. Jenrick, who is close to members of Trump’s inner circle including vice-president JD Vance, wrote that restricting exports “would not be in America’s long-term interest” and risked raising costs for US consumers too. Jenrick also asked that if a ban were introduced the UK be made exempt “in recognition of our longstanding special relationship”.

The US is the world’s largest exporter of diesel, supplying roughly 1.4mn barrels a day, and is a key supplier to Europe. Diesel prices on both sides of the Atlantic have risen sharply because of the prolonged disruption to the Strait of Hormuz and as Ukraine targets Russian oil refineries with drone strikes. Elizabeth de Jong, chief executive of Fuels Industry UK, said the potential ban “has shown once again that we cannot solely rely on overseas production for domestic energy security”.