Angela Eagle, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, reacting to the comments made by James Wharton about the closure of SSI at Redcar, said:

“These comments from the Minister for the Northern Powerhouse are truly shocking. They reveal the Government’s true attitude to steelmaking on Teesside.

“As ever with this Government, its rhetoric doesn’t match reality, and we’re in the midst of a Northern Power cut.

“With the Steel Industry in crisis, after the Summit today, the Government needs to stop sitting on its hands, and act to safeguard this important strategic industry.”