The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves today visited Outokumpu Stainless Ltd in Sheffield to discuss the ongoing energy crisis and its impact on steel production.
Whilst on the visit, Keir backed our #BritainWeNeedOurSteel campaign, as well as the workers at Clarks in Street, Somerset facing fire-and-rehire.
Keir Starmer MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:
“Our energy intensive industries like steel are the cornerstone of British manufacturing and crucial for our economic recovery. Our steel industry is not simply a proud industry of our past but – with Labour’s £3 billion, 10-year commitment to make British steel green – a proud industry of our future.
It’s crucial we get a grip on the energy crisis. With millions already feeling the pinch as energy prices rise, and businesses and jobs at huge risk, we should be supporting industry to stop this escalating into a winter crisis.
Labour have been calling on the Government to come out of hiding and work with energy intensive industries, rather than finding a scapegoat for the problem. They should be convening task forces on a sector by sector basis to assess need in each sector, and devising bespoke solutions.
But instead they’ve put their out of office on. Whilst other countries step up and act, the UK is staggeringly complacently sitting back.”
Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer said:
“With Labour our industries and businesses will be heard and worked with, not dismissed and worked against.
We will be collaborative, working alongside businesses, workers, industry bodies and unions to pull together in a national endeavour.
With our commitment to buy, make and sell more in Britain, we’ll build a sustainable secure economy, never again leaving businesses to scramble.”
Alasdair McDiarmid, Operations Director at Community, says:
“The ongoing energy crisis is an extremely serious situation for our steel industry. If government does nothing this crisis poses a real threat to thousands of steel jobs.
The seriousness of the situation demands a swift and decisive response. We’re pleased that Kier Starmer used his visit to Outokumpu today to reinforce our calls for urgent government intervention.
Government must act now to close the huge gap between the price UK steelmakers pay for energy and the price paid by our EU competitors. A package of government loans is not a solution as it would do nothing to address our competitive disadvantage.”
Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves supporting #BritainWeNeedOurSteel
Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves supporting our workers at Clarks in Street, Somerset and calling for an end to fire-and-rehire
To support the workers at Clarks and call for an end to fire-and-rehire, click here.
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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