Sir Keir Starmer urged to nationalise steel industry & save jobs as Britain’s last blast furnaces prepare for closure
BRITAIN’S last blast furnaces are in line to be nationalised within weeks as the Chinese owners prepare to shut up shop.
Sir Keir Starmer refused to rule out taking over British Steel’s Scunthorpe site, where up to 2,700 jobs are at risk.
While visiting a car factory in Birmingham with Rachel Reeves yesterday, the PM said “all options are on the table” as talks continue.
Both Nigel Farage’s Reform and Tory MPs are urging Labour to nationalise the site to keep the furnaces open.
It comes amid reports owner Jingye is spending £20million on a rail steel mill in China, trying to lure British workers there.
Unions also revealed Jingye has cancelled orders for iron ore and coal, meaning the furnaces could shut in May.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is weighing up laws to forcibly take control.
If the Scunthorpe furnaces shut down, Britain will become the only G7 nation unable to make virgin steel — which unions say will be a national security risk.
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice told The Sun: “The Government must adopt Reform’s policy to nationalise British Steel. This will secure thousands of jobs and provide a platform for growth.”
Business Minister Sarah Jones said the closure of the blast furnaces was “far from a done deal”.
Tory MP Sir Julian Lewis told her she “should not waste the opportunity to have parties of the right urging a party of the left to nationalise”.
