Gill Furniss MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Steel, Postal Services and Consumer Protection, commenting on reports that Tata steelworkers have voted to accept Tata’s new pension scheme deal, said:

“This was always going to be a tough decision but we should recognise the fantastic work trade unions have done in getting the deal that has been accepted today. Thousands of steelworkers at Port Talbot now have job security for the next five years and they deserve the certainty that today’s result brings.

“Steel is a vital foundation industry for the UK. That is why it is important that today we have got a way forward for the Port Talbot steelworks, and that is why Labour will keep pressing the Government to give the steel sector the support it deserves.

“That means not marking steel ‘low-priority’ in the Brexit negotiations and not giving steel just one mention in the whole industrial strategy green paper. Actions matter, and this Government has done nothing to show it will actually support the UK steel industry.”