13 h. ago Labour faces calls to nationalise British Steel as MPs urged to pass emergency law today to save UK steelmaking and thousands of jobs

Both the Commons and the Lords have reconvened during Easter recess for a highly unusual Saturday sitting to debate a Bill aimed at blocking Jingye from closing the Scunthorpe site.

Society

14 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

14 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

14 h. ago MPs begin debating emergency law to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant

MPs returned to Westminster on Saturday after being recalled from recess to debate the emergency legislation intended to save the Scunthorpe plant.

Politics

15 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

15 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

17 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

18 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