Labour MP attacks plans for ‘duplicate’ £80m steel science centre
PROPOSALS for an £80m steel science centre in South Wales have been attacked by a Labour MP from the North of England whose region was rocked by the closure of the Redcar steelworks in 2015.
Redcar MP Anna Turley fears that the centre proposed as part of the city deal for the Swansea Bay City Region would “almost directly duplicate” the work of the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) in her constituency.
Gower Conservative MP Byron Davies described the attack as “deplorable”, but Ms Turley said people in Teesside were “fed up of bearing the brunt of this Tory government’s disastrous approach to steel”.
Ms Turley said the UK government “closed our steelworks” but “stepped in when it came to Port Talbot due to panic over the Welsh elections”.
There are hopes a “catapult” hub can be developed in her region for the metals and materials industry which could be part of the supply chain for Sunderland car-maker Nissan.
Ms Turley said: “I am surprised that a government which says it prioritises economic efficiency would seek to duplicate investment and research that is already taking place on Teesside. Mr Davies’ Conservative government closed our steelworks but stepped in when it came to Port Talbot due to panic over the Welsh elections that were taking place during the steel crisis.
“My constituents have lost 175 years of steelmaking, their pensions have taken a hit to keep Tata in Port Talbot, and now this Tory government is trying to undermine the metals research and development we have left. Teessiders are fed up of bearing the brunt of this Tory government’s disastrous approach to steel while the Tories desperately try and cling on to their last shred of credibility in Wales.”
Speaking in the Commons, Washington and Sunderland West Labour MP Sharon Hodgson also expressed concerns about the steel science centre, saying: “I do not want to take anything away from Wales, especially with colleagues from Wales in the chamber, but duplication does not make any sense, especially when there is so little funding around, and we definitely do not want to take any support away from Nissan.”
Gower Conservative MP Mr Davies said: “I think [it] is deplorable a Labour MP should be denying South Wales any investment. I’d be very interested to see what her colleagues in South Wales in the Labour Party think about it...”