22 January 2024 , 18:07
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Tory MPs will be put on the spot today over calls to keep steelmaking in Britain.
Labour plans to force a vote on the future of the steel industry to strong-arm the Government into delivering a plan to ensure Britain keeps its capacity to make steel rather than relying on foreign imports. It comes after Tata Steel UK confirmed plans to axe up to 2,800 British jobs last week in a devastating blow to the industry.
Most of the jobs will be at the Indian-owned firms's Port Talbot plant in South Wales, where two blast furnaces will be closed this year. Unions have warned the decision risks turning the area into a ghost town and accused the Government and Tata of throwing "workers on the scrapheap".
Tata is spending £1.25billion - including a £500million of taxpayers' cash - to replace the blast furnaces with greener electric arc furnaces, which need fewer workers to operate. Labour accused the Government of pushing through the deal that will result in thousands of steelworkers losing their jobs and risk leaving the UK's capacity to produce primary steel
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Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "This is a bad deal, leaving thousands of workers out of a job, handing over millions of taxpayer’s money and risking the UK’s national security. While the Conservatives want to offshore emissions, jobs and opportunities and call that progress, Labour will stand with our steelworkers.
“Labour has a plan to bolster our national security and deliver good jobs for decades to come. The steel sector can have a bright future under a Labour Government.” Labour will use an opposition day debate to force a vote on the issue, meaning Tory MPs will have to nail their colours to the mast.
Announcing the move last week, Tata said in a statement: "Tata Steel today announced it will commence statutory consultation as part of its plan to transform and restructure its UK business. This plan is intended to reverse more than a decade of losses and transition from the legacy blast furnaces to a more sustainable, green steel business."