Shadow Minister calls for steel industry safeguards 

Speaking on a visit today, Shadow Business Minister Seema Malhotra today reaffirmed their commitment to Britain’s steel and called for “long-term plan to support Britain’s steel and the UK manufacturers who are their customers”. 

The Shadow Minister joined representatives from Liberty Steel and the trade unions Community and Unite on a virtual visit to the Stocksbridge steelworks. In May, it was announced that Liberty Steel Group intends to sell Stocksbridge and its downstream plants, the narrow strip mill at Brinsworth and Performance Steels at West Bromwich. 

Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham and Heston and Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers says: 

“Stocksbridge is a critical component of our national steel industry and a leading UK speciality steel plant. The skilled work they do is strategically important for the UK’s defence, energy, and aerospace industries. 

Our manufacturing and our infrastructure depends on steel. It’s clear how integral the UK’s steel industry is for our economic recovery and green ambitions.”  

It is now vital that the government do more to bring forward a long term plan to support British steel and the UK manufacturers who are their customers. We must secure this industry in order to protect jobs and livelihoods.” 

Alun Davies, Community National Organiser, says: 

“We were delighted to speak today to Shadow Business Minister Seema Malhotra on the work being done at Stocksbridge, and the importance of the steel industry to the future of the UK economy.

Stocksbridge and it’s downstream plants are strategically important businesses vital to our country’s defence, energy and aerospace sectors. The future for these businesses must be secured, and all jobs must be protected.

We know that with the right framework of support the steel industry has a bright future at the core of a low carbon economy. But achieving this is going to require decisive action in areas like electricity prices and public procurement, so our steelworkers can compete on a level playing field with European steelmakers.  

As we leave the EU, invest billions in infrastructure, and host COP26, this is the year we must see major game-changing interventions unlocking the potential of our industry. Steelmakers like Liberty Steel Stocksbridge are vital businesses that provide good jobs in parts of the country that really need them.”  

Mick Hood of Liberty Steel says: 

“LIBERTY Steel welcomes the opportunity to highlight Stocksbridge’s important role to Shadow Minister, Seema Malhotra MP, as a unique, high quality business servicing marquee customers in aerospace, auto and other highly engineered applications. Seema’s commitment to developing a strong, low-carbon steel industry in the UK that supports skilled jobs, helps revitalise UK manufacturing and positions the UK as an innovator and leader in GREENSTEEL productions is a great endorsement of the efforts of everyone at Stocksbridge and across the LIBERTY Steel family in the UK.” 

The visit comes in the week International Trade Secretary Liz Truss is expected to make a decision on the UK’s tariff protections. In a joint letter, Community, GMB and Unite had previously called on the Trade Secretary to intervene and extend the steel safeguards.


If you are a member of Community and need help or advice, please contact us at help@community-tu.org or on 0800 389 6332.



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