6 h. ago Parliament approves British Steel bill to take control of Scunthorpe steelworks

Ministers had taken the unusual step of recalling Parliament from its Easter recess to sit on Saturday after negotiations with British Steel's Chinese owners, Jingye, appeared to break down.

Politics

7 h. ago Emergency bill to 'save' British Steel that could nationalise Scunthorpe furnace clears Parliament

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill has cleared the House of Lords and will become law once it receives royal assent.

Politics

7 h. ago Bill to save British Steel plant becomes law after king’s approval

Emergency legislation giving government power to instruct British Steel to keep plant open passed unopposedBusiness secretary says British Steel owners Jingye wanted ‘excessive amount’ – videoProposals to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces have been granted royal assent after an extraordinary parliament sitting on Saturday.Emergency legislation giving the government the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open passed the Commons and Lords in a single day unopposed. Continue reading...

Economics

7 h. ago British Steel latest: Parliament approves bill to save plant after workers block Chinese executives from site

MPs and Lords vote in favour of Starmer's plan to take control of British Steel after Chinese owners wanted hundreds of millions

Economics

8 h. ago Parliament approves British Steel bill as sources say owners blocked from entering Scunthorpe plant – live

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) has now passed through the House of Lords and is awaiting royal assentIt’s been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company’s Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the £2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessar...

Politics

9 h. ago Ministers accuse British Steel’s Chinese owner of trying to ‘irrevocably’ shut down blast furnaces

Labour prime minister has warned the UK’s ‘economic and national security’ at risk if Scunthorpe plant closes

Politics

10 h. ago MPs approve British Steel bill after Chinese owners’ ‘excessive’ demands – live

Bill now proceeds to the House of Lords for debate and passageIt’s been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company’s Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the £2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessary, so there will be no extra costs to the Exch...

Politics

10 h. ago British Steel latest: Chinese executives who ‘tried to access’ plant blocked by workers as MPs back government plan

MPs vote in favour of Starmer's plan to take control of British Steel after Chinese owners wanted hundreds of millions

Politics

11 h. ago British Steel latest: MPs back move to take control of Scunthorpe plant in emergency debate

Sir Keir Starmer’s emergency bill to save Scunthorpe steelworks plant from closure approved by Commons

Politics

12 h. ago Starmer delays holiday to attend emergency session of Parliament to save British Steel

Labour prime minister has warned the UK’s ‘economic and national security’ at risk if Scunthorpe plant closes

Politics

12 h. ago British Steel latest: Nationalisation ‘likely’, says business secretary as MPs debate emergency law

The prime minister will pass a bill through parliament in a single day on Saturday

Society

13 h. ago MPs debate emergency law to take control of British Steel after Chinese owners’ ‘excessive’ demands – live

No 10 has published a draft law that would give the business secretary the power to direct the companyIt’s been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company’s Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the £2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessary, so ...

Society

13 h. ago British Steel latest: MPs begin to debate emergency law to save branch from closure

The prime minister will pass a bill through parliament in a single day on Saturday

Politics

14 h. ago MPs debating emergency law to take control of British Steel – live

No 10 has published a draft law that would give the business secretary the power to direct the companyIt’s been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company’s Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the £2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessary, so ...

Society

14 h. ago UK Parliament meets in emergency Saturday session to approve rescue of British Steel

U.K. lawmakers are returning to Parliament from their Easter break to approve an emergency rescue of the country’s last remaining factory that makes steel directly from raw materials

Events

14 h. ago Emergency British Steel meeting to begin as Starmer claims national security on the line: Latest

The prime minister will pass a bill through parliament in a single day on Saturday

Events

16 h. ago British Steel latest: MPs sit for emergency session as Starmer says ‘national security’ on the line

The prime minister will pass a bill through parliament in a single day on Saturday

Events

16 h. ago Why today's British Steel emergency law debate in Parliament is so important

'The future of British Steel hangs in the balance'

Politics

17 h. ago MPs and Lords head to parliament as PM aims to pass emergency law today to save British Steel – live

MPs to debate emergency law that will give the business secretary the power to direct the companyBlast furnaces have been making steel in Britain for 300 years, ever since they helped start the Industrial Revolution. This weekend, parliament will sit for the first Saturday in decades as it tries to keep the last two furnaces running for a bit longer.Keir Starmer has recalled MPs to discuss emergency powers to direct steel companies, including British Steel’s Scunthorpe steelworks, to “preserve capability and ensure public safety”. The move would be short of nationalisation, but it would give the government more influence on the steel industry than at any point since Margaret Thatcher. Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Parliament to vote on granting Government control of British Steel

Both the Commons and the Lords will break from Easter recess for a highly unusual Saturday sitting.

Politics