Columnist

Time for decisive steel sector action

Steelmaking has been the backbone of Britain’s industrial heritage for more than two centuries. 

But with potential British Steel closures of Port Talbot and Scunthorpe threatening 10,000 jobs across South Wales and South Yorkshire, for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, we are on the verge of losing our steel industry entirely. 

We know only too well here in Teesside just how devastating the immediate situation will be for those affected communities. 

First through the direct loss of jobs, as sites are decommissioned, then to the hundreds of livelihoods, in everything from supply chains to catering, that rely upon these industries to survive.

The local impact is one thing, but there is much more at stake here. 

In an increasingly uncertain world, the need for the UK to retain steelmaking as a strategically important capacity amounts to a matter of national security and industrial self-reliance. 

In this endeavour, the Government has rightly allocated more than £2 billion for green steel, which is a step in the right direction. 

However, the real issue lies in the Treasury’s refusal to use that money to protect our existing steel jobs while the transition to green steel is being made. 

Steel plants don’t appear overnight – it will take two to three years to build new, modern facilities that align with our environmental commitments.

In the meantime, without interim financial support, we risk losing the vital expertise, infrastructure and workforce that underpin our steel industry.

I’ve seen the consequences of inaction first-hand. 

In 2015, we lost 3200 steel jobs in Redcar when the SSI UK plant closed - devastating not just for the workers but for the entire community. 

The closure of British Steel would be even more catastrophic.

It’s not just about numbers; it’s about livelihoods, about communities that have relied on steelmaking for generations and about our ability to stand independently on the world stage.

The Government must act now to ensure the current steel jobs are protected while the transition to green steel is underway. 

Failing to do so will result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and will make us foolishly dependent on imported steel from countries like China and India.

And once the UK's steelmaking capacity has been mothballed, and we have completely ceded our ability forever to those economies, the case to start over again on our shores becomes increasingly difficult to make.

Steel is more than just an industry – it is a strategic asset. 

It plays a crucial role in sectors from construction to defence.

If we lose our steelmaking capabilities now, it will be nearly impossible to rebuild them in the future.

The UK needs to transition to green steel, but that transition must be managed responsibly.

Our communities, our workers and our nation depend on it.

We need decisive action – and we need it now.

Ben Houchen is Tees Valley mayor

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