MPs to be recalled to Parliament to discuss future of British Steel

MPs will be recalled to the House of Commons to discuss the future of British Steel on Saturday.

The PA news agency understands the rare weekend sitting will take place to debate the uncertain future of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant.

Jingye, the Chinese owner of the business, plans to close the blast furnaces and switch to a greener form of production.

Ministers have said all options are on the table for its future, including nationalisation, over concerns its closure would leave the UK without any domestic virgin steel makers.

It is the first recall of Parliament on a Saturday since 1982.

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Criticised

Earlier this week the UK Government was heavily criticised by Plaid Cymru following reports that it was considering nationalising British Steel to prevent its collapse – a move not extended to the TATA plant in Port Talbot where 2,500 jobs were lost.

In December, Plaid's Business and Trade spokesperson, Llinos Medi asked the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, why the Government had estimated the cost of nationalising British Steel to safeguard Scunthorpe’s future while dismissing calls to nationalise Port Talbot.

Ms Stevens replied: “The Government have no plans to nationalise British Steel.”

A month later, Wales’ First Minister Eluned Morgan mocked Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, for suggesting the Port Talbot plant could be nationalised to prevent the loss of jobs, describing it as a “pipe dream”.

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Dismissed

Ms Medi MP said: “When Plaid Cymru called for the nationalisation of Port Talbot to safeguard Welsh steel, Labour dismissed it without hesitation.

“Now, as the UK Government considers nationalising British Steel in Scunthorpe, Labour’s quiet acceptance of a Tory plan that cost 2,500 jobs in Port Talbot is nothing short of a betrayal.

“The people of Port Talbot will rightly ask why their jobs and community were not worth fighting for.”