Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane

Labour Party | Rotherham

Steel jobs appeal

24 June 2009

Denis MacShane MP for Rotherham has urged Gordon Brown to order ministers to intervene and give the same support to the steel industry as the government is offering the banks and the car industry.

" The coal mines were shut on the Tory watch. It would be unacceptable if steel was shut down on Labour's watch. The new Indian owners of Corus must put steel jobs in Britain on a same level as their profits in India. Last week I, with other South Yorkshire MP, had an urgent meeting with Lord Mandelson to discuss measures to stop the job losses and steel production in Yorkshire. Mandelson was sympathetic but it is clear the Indian owners of Corus will not cooperate with the steel union Community to work on measures to save steel. I urge Gordon Brown to step in and show the Government supporting steel in the same way as France and Germany. The steelworkers of Britain and steel MPs supported Tata's purchase of Corus. If the steel moguls put profits over jobs and families then we need a new policy that puts the interests of British steelworkers first and foremost."