Chamber urges immediate nationalisation of British Steel to save Scunthorpe jobs

The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce is urging the Government to take immediate action by nationalising the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, in order to safeguard its blast furnaces and protect thousands of local jobs — both within the plant and throughout its extensive supply chain.

Dr Ian Kelly, Chief Executive of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The Chamber’s sources indicate that a “Salamander Tap Operation” is underway which means that one of the two blast furnaces in Scunthorpe is subject to a complex engineering process which involves winding down the furnace for maintenance, which if done correctly can be restarted again, but the fears are that the Chinese owners Jingye, will not restart it.

“The Chamber wants to see Jingye continue to run the business as a going concern but it has already been announced that it is no longer ordering the raw materials required to make virgin steel and thousands of employees are in a consultation process about their futures”.

The Prime minister says he's still very much committed to saving the steelworks at Scunthorpe.

The Government and British Steel continue to discuss the future of the site as a deadline looms.

It's thought it could close if blast furnaces run out of raw material which is thought to be very soon.