Parliament to debate British Steel nationalisation in emergency sitting

Parliament has been recalled to sit on Saturday to vote on emergency legislation that could nationalise British Steel.

The House of Commons will sit from 11 am, with MPs expected to debate new proposals aimed at safeguarding the continued operation of the company’s blast furnaces in Scunthorpe. 

Saturday’s session will be the first emergency weekend parliament sitting in since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021, underlining the scale of the situation.

The proposed legislation, known as the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill, “would allow MPs to consider urgent legislation to protect British steelmaking capacity and safeguard national security”, a No10 spokesperson said. 

It follows confirmation that British Steel plans to close both blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe site, which could lead to 2,700 job losses and leave the UK unable to produce its virgin steel.

British Steel’s Chinese owner, Jingye, has already rejected a £500 million government support package dependent on transitioning to electric arc furnaces. The company has voiced ongoing losses of around £1 million per day, falling global demand, and persistent trade barriers such as US tariffs.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who visited the Scunthorpe site earlier this week, said: “China has no interest in keeping the steelworks open.” Adding that his party “have been clear from the start that the only option we have to save this vital strategic asset, and thousands of jobs in the process, is to nationalise British Steel.” 

Farage also said the plant should remain under UK control, with the blast furnaces upgraded and other assets such as Liberty Steel in Rotherham brought into public ownership.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said steel production is a “matter of national security.” He said, “Tomorrow must be seen as an opportunity to come forward with a serious plan for the sustainable future of domestic steel production. The public rightly deserves better than political opportunism and grandstanding.”