Reynolds fails to confirm British Steel will get raw materials required April 13, 2025 The business secretary has declined to guarantee that British Steel will be able to secure enough raw materials in time to keep the Scunthorpe blast furnaces going. Jonathan Reynolds said he would not “make my situation or the nation’s situation more difficult” by commenting on specific commercial details, the day after taking emergency powers to [...]
Reynolds issues guidance to British Steel after MPs back emergency law April 13, 2025 The business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has issued instructions to British Steel, using the emergency powers approved by Parliament on Saturday to save the Scunthorpe blast furnaces. A government source confirmed that Reynolds had given directions to the company following the extraordinary sitting of Parliament. But they declined to give details of those instructions, saying they [...]
MPs approve bid to take control of Scunthorpe steelworks April 12, 2025 MPs have approved plans to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces after an extraordinary sitting of the Commons on Saturday. Emergency legislation giving the government the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open passed the Commons unopposed. It will now be debated by the Lords as the Government attempts to get the [...]
Labour MP calls for action over Grangemouth oil refinery April 12, 2025 A Labour MP has urged the UK Government to intervene to help the Grangemouth oil refinery remain open, saying there are “striking similarities” between the plant there and the Scunthorpe steel plant. Brian Leishman said he hoped the UK Government would nationalise British Steel and take the plant at Scunthorpe “under Government control” – but [...]
MPs begin debating emergency law to save British Steel April 12, 2025 The Business Secretary accused British Steel’s Chinese owners of attempting to “unilaterally” close down its Scunthorpe blast furnaces as MPs began debating emergency legislation to save the plant. Jonathan Reynolds told MPs that developments over recent days had made Saturday’s extraordinary sitting of Parliament necessary as Jingye rejected the Government’s offer of support and took [...]
British Steel: Why are MPs having an emergency session? April 12, 2025 Westminster had begun to wind down gently on Friday afternoon. Parliament had concluded its formal business on Tuesday in advance of Easter. The news therefore came as jolt that the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, had agreed to a request from the government to recall the House of Commons to sit from 11.00 am on Saturday; [...]
Parliament to be recalled over future of British Steel April 11, 2025 Parliament will be recalled on Saturday to discuss the future of British Steel, Downing Street has confirmed. A government source said it is looking “take control” of the company after its owner, China’s Jingye, said its two blast furnaces in Scunthorpe were “no longer financially sustainable.” British Steel employs around 2,700 people but is weeks [...]
British Steel: Talks ongoing as hopes of ‘solution in sight’ for Scunthorpe April 9, 2025 Talks are ongoing as government ministers battle for the future of British Steel this week, with hopes of a “commercial solution in sight”. The firm has launched a consultation on the proposed closure of blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant and the government is in talks with the company’s Chinese owner Jingye. There have been [...]
Nationalising British Steel won’t help the UK’s dying industry April 9, 2025 Nationalising British Steel is a painting-over-the-cracks solution. The real problem is energy prices, writes Elinor Bale.
British Steel: ‘All options on table’ over nationalising Scunthorpe, Starmer says April 8, 2025 The UK is keeping “all options on the table” over the potential nationalisation of the Chinese-owned British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted he understood the importance of the plant, which is Britain’s last remaining steelmaker, in a Q&A with the House of Commons Liaison Committee, after its [...]