MPs summoned to Parliament to ‘protect’ British Steel future

The PA news agency understands the rare weekend sitting will take place to debate the uncertain future of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant.

Jingye, the Chinese owner of the business, plans to close the blast furnaces and switch to a greener form of production.

The company reportedly rejected a £500 million Government offer to help its transition to a greener form of steel production with a new electric arc furnace.

British Steel could be nationalised by the government

So why can’t Thames Water, the energy grid, rail rolling stock, Royal Mail be “on the table” too? 💧⚡️🚄📮

All of these are strategic national infrastructure pic.twitter.com/SZrwP2BvRR

— Cat Hobbs (@CatHobbs) April 9, 2025

Closure would mean the end of steelmaking in Scunthorpe after 160 years of production.

Industry body UK Steel warned that the ending of steel production in Scunthorpe would mean the UK loses vital steelmaking capabilities in rail, heavy sections, and light sections, critical to transport, infrastructure, and construction – leaving customers dependent on international supplies.

The Community union’s assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said: “British Steel is a business of huge strategic importance, not just to the local economy and the wider steel sector, but to the country as a whole.

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“There is now a serious risk that the UK will become the only G7 country unable to produce its own virgin steel. This would be a totally unacceptable situation at any time, let alone in the current era of global insecurity and volatility.

“If a deal can’t be reached with Jingye, then the government must move to nationalise the business. This government cannot afford to renege on the commitments it has made to steelworkers, and it is unthinkable that they would allow Britain’s primary steelmaking capacity to die on their watch.”

Ministers have said all options are on the table for its future, including nationalisation, over concerns its closure would leave the UK without any domestic virgin steel makers.

It is the first recall of Parliament on a Saturday since 1982.