Privately owned British Steel has announced plans to close its two blast furnaces and steelmaking operations in Scunthorpe, putting up to 2,700 jobs at risk.
It would effectively bring an end to steelmaking in Scunthorpe after 160 years of production, devastating another steel town hot on the heels of Tata closing its two blast furnaces at Port Talbot in south Wales with the loss of 2,500 jobs. It would leave the UK without the ability to make steel from scratch.
British Steel is owned by Chinese firm Jingye, which has launched a ‘consultation’. In a joint statement, Community, Unite and GMB unions said: “All options must remain on the table for safeguarding this strategically crucial business”. But so far the Labour government has only pledged to throw money at Jingye, and since its original announcement has even reduced that. With even bosses like Simon Boyd of supplier Reidsteel calling for public ownership, unions must boldly demand nationalisation to safeguard jobs and steelmaking in Scunthorpe.
