Keir Starmer and Donald Trump in June. Downing Street has condemned Donald Trump’s plan to impose 20% tolls on ships using the Strait of Hormuz. The US president said the move was a “matter of fairness” because America will be responsible for keeping it open. The economically-critical waterway was closed by Iran after America and Israel began their bombing campaign against the country at the end of February. Writing on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump said: “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. “We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.” He added: “The USA will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’, but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.” Asked for the PM’s reaction to Trump’s announcement, a No.10 spokeswoman said the Strait was “a critical route for trade and energy supply”. She added: “We’ve always said that the Strait should be reopened in line with international law and without tolls which could disrupt global trade.” Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said: “Donald Trump’s plan to slap a 20% tax on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is nothing short of state-backed highway robbery. “Ambushing global trade at one of the world’s most vital chokepoints is an act of economic extortion. “Extracting tolls like this is a flagrant violation of international law.” Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... ‘Don’t Talk About It’: Trump Snaps At CNN For Asking About Latest Strait Of Hormuz Debacle Trump Chief Says There Are ‘Guys Living In Caves’ Responsible For Strait Of Hormuz Debacle Trump Declares Strait Of Hormuz Open Almost 2 Months After His War Started