Angela Eagle MP, Shadow First Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, speaking following the emergency debate on the UK steel industry, said:

“Today was Sajid Javid’s big chance to set out a comprehensive plan to save the steel industry. I’m afraid it must go down as yet another missed opportunity.

“Labour have been warning of the growing crisis facing steel for months, and we have developed a four point plan to save our steel. Today we called for clarity on what the Secretary of State means by ‘co-investment’ and demanded a commitment to secure the future of the blast furnaces. We called for a modern and intelligent industrial policy, we called for reassurances for the customer base, and, most importantly, we called for action on Chinese dumping. The Secretary of State failed to deliver on each and every issue.

“Steel is a foundation industry which is absolutely essential for manufacturing and for our economy. We’ve had enough warm words from the Tory Government. We need to see some concrete action.”