Welsh Conservatives demand Senedd recall over UK Government steel nationalisation plans

Emily Price

The Welsh Conservatives have demanded that the Senedd is recalled from its Easter recess over the UK Government's plans to nationalise British Steel.

It comes after the UK Parliament was recalled to debate draft legislation giving UK ministers "the power to direct steel companies in England" to protect British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant, Downing Street said.

Both the Commons and the Lords will return for the rare Saturday sitting to debate a law aimed at securing the future of the plant.

Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, plans to close the blast furnaces at the Scunthorpe and switch to a greener form of production.

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Falklands

In an indication of how seriously the UK Government is taking the issue, this is the first time Parliament has been recalled to sit on a Saturday since 1982, when MPs returned after the Falklands War began.

On Friday evening (April 11) Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar published a letter he had sent to the Senedd’s Presiding Officer, Elin Jones, asking for Wales’ parliament to be recalled too.

Mr Millar wrote: "I am writing to request that you recall the Senedd at the earliest opportunity.

"You will be aware that the UK Parliament has been recalled and will meet tomorrow to discuss the future of British Steel in Scunthorpe.

"As there are likely to be significant implications for the steel industry here in Wales as a result of any UK Government announcements tomorrow, it is imperative that the Welsh Parliament meets as a matter of urgency to discuss this issue. I look forward to your reply."

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Recess

Members of the Senedd are currently on their three week spring break.

The Senedd can be recalled during recess, on the authority of the Llywydd, to discuss issues of national significance.

In its 25-year history, the Welsh Parliament has been recalled previously to discuss the response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Brexit and the future of the steel industry.

The last time the Senedd was recalled was during the summer recess of 2024 when Eluned Morgan took over from Vaughan Gething as First Minister.

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 Welsh Secretary, 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."

First Minister Eluned Morgan later mocked Plaid's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth for suggesting TATA could be nationalised to prevent job loses.

Recalled

Plaid’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said: "Parliament is being recalled tomorrow to debate the nationalisation of Scunthorpe steelworks.

"But when global market forces devastated Welsh livelihoods in Port Talbot, Labour dismissed Plaid Cymru’s calls for nationalisation as ‘pipe dreams’.

"In a real emergency, governments step up to defend their strategic interests. Plaid Cymru recognised the importance of Welsh steelmaking. Labour chose to look the other way.

"When it was Wales, they mocked. Now it’s England, they act.

"Labour has taken Wales for granted for far too long – and the people of Wales won’t forget it."