Parliament recalled for emergency Saturday session after Chinese owners of British Steel threaten to close plant
by David Lynch Christopher McKeon, and Alan Jones, PA · ChronicleLiveMPs and peers will return to Parliament on Saturday for an emergency debate on a new law that would grant the Government authority to intervene in the steel industry, specifically to safeguard the future of British Steel's Scunthorpe plant.
The proposed legislation, known as the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill, aims to empower the Government to direct steel companies in England, with the goal of protecting the Scunthorpe site.
Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, has announced plans to shut down the blast furnaces and transition to a more environmentally friendly production method.
A spokesperson for Downing Street stated: "The Prime Minister has been clear, his government will always act in the national interest. All actions we take are in the name of British industry, British jobs and for British workers.
"Tomorrow Parliament will be recalled to debate the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill. The Bill provides the government with the power to direct steel companies in England, which we will use to protect the Scunthorpe site.
"It enables the UK Government to preserve capability and ensure public safety. It also ensures all options remain viable for the future of the plant and the livelihoods it supports.
"We have been negotiating with British Steel's owners in good faith ever since coming to office. We have always been clear there is a bright future for steel in the UK. All options remain on the table."
The Commons will commence its Saturday sitting at 11am, where MPs are set to debate "legislative proposals to ensure the continued operation of British Steel blast furnaces is safeguarded", as per the office of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
The House of Lords will also be in session from midday.
Signifying the gravity of the issue, this marks the first time Parliament has been recalled for a Saturday sitting since 1982, when MPs reconvened following the onset of the Falklands War. Other notable recalls in recent years include a midweek sitting during the summer recess in August 2021 to discuss the evacuation from Afghanistan.
In a letter circulated to MPs and shared with the PA news agency, Sir Lindsay expressed his belief that the "public interest" necessitates the recall. Leaders of Westminster's opposition parties seemed to generally welcome the news of the debate.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged for "a serious plan for the sustainable future of domestic steel production". Sir Ed stated: "With Putin's barbaric war in Europe and Donald Trump's disastrous tariffs causing economic turmoil, the future of steel production in this country is of real importance and nothing should be off the table in this matter of national security.
"Tomorrow must be seen as an opportunity to come forward with a serious plan for the sustainable future of domestic steel production. The public rightly deserves better than political opportunism and grandstanding."
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has declared his support for the nationalisation of the steel plant. "China has no interest in keeping the steelworks open. Reform have been clear from the start that the only option we have to save this vital strategic asset – and thousands of jobs in the process – is to nationalise British Steel," he explained.
He further urged the Government to maintain and refurbish two blast furnaces, establish a long-term business plan, and take over Liberty Steel Rotherham to utilise its two electric arc furnaces.
The decision to recall Parliament has been met with approval from unions. Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB union's national officer, shared: "GMB has long called for nationalisation as the only way to save the UK steel industry. Tomorrow looks like the first step in that process."
She also commended the Business Secretary for taking decisive action to secure the future of this critical industry and the myriad jobs it underpins. Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, the steelworkers' union, remarked: "It is in the national interest that a solution is found to secure a future for British Steel as a vital strategic business."
He underscored the importance of maintaining Britain's steelmaking capacity, stating, "We can't allow Britain to become the only G7 country without primary steelmaking capacity."
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