Steel industry crisis threatens to decimate communities, MP says
LABOUR HAS warned of an ongoing crisis in the steel industry which could “decimate” communities.
Shadow Business Secretary and Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband has written to the Government calling for better plans for the sector, both reflecting coronavirus and long-term issues.
The party wants to see better access to loans for steel manufacturers, plus innovation to allow the industry to switch to low carbon production methods. Mr Miliband said manufacturing was “vital to our success and resilience as a country”.
“We have seen steelworkers across the country stepping up to support our NHS through this crisis, and now Ministers must step in to protect this vital British industry now and into the future. Steel makes a critical contribution to the economic success of many communities and has a key
VITAL WORK: Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband has called for better plans to help the steel industry.
role to play in boosting our economy,” he said.
Across places such as Yorkshire, the Humber region, and Wales there are around 32,600 well paid steel jobs. Mr Miliband said steel plants and manufacturing sites across the country had maintained vital machinery and provided steel for scalpels, as well as Nightingale Hospital beds.
The Government said that firms facing a failure during the coronavirus crisis that would “disproportionately harm the economy” could be given more support on a “last resort” basis. The Treasury has said support might be considered “in exceptional circumstances and where a company had exhausted all other options”.