Opposition Lambasts Takeover Strategy
Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith has slammed the Conservative government’s abrupt intervention in British Steel, branding it a "botched" operation lacking foresight and planning. Griffith's sharp remarks reflect increasing disapproval from opposition benches following the government’s decision to assume control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe site, a critical facility for producing the UK’s only virgin steel.
Griffith questioned the government's strategy, claiming it failed to ensure long-term security for workers, local communities, and the country’s steelmaking capabilities. He accused ministers of reactive policymaking, saying they only acted after the threat of closure loomed large.
A Firefighting Policy Approach
According to Griffith, the move was symptomatic of a larger issue within government, a lack of strategic industrial policy. “This takeover is not a vision for the future of UK steel,” he stated, “but a last-minute attempt to put out a fire the government helped ignite by ignoring industry warnings for years.”
The Labour Party has long urged the government to adopt a comprehensive steel strategy that balances industrial viability with a just green transition. However, Griffith argued that the Conservative-led intervention appears to be more politically expedient than economically strategic.
Nationalisation by Stealth?
While the government has insisted the move is not full nationalisation, critics like Griffith see it as a halfway measure, neither providing stable leadership nor the investment needed to transition to greener technologies like electric arc furnaces.
He also raised concerns over transparency, suggesting the emergency legislation lacked adequate parliamentary scrutiny and stakeholder engagement. “The UK deserves better than haphazard industrial stewardship,” Griffith said, “especially in sectors as foundational as steel.”
Implications for Workers & Industry
Griffith also highlighted the emotional and financial strain on the 2,700 workers at Scunthorpe and in the wider supply chain. The government’s takeover was triggered by Jingye Group’s plan to close Scunthorpe’s blast furnaces, which would have ended the UK's ability to produce steel from raw iron ore.
Despite the intervention, there remains no long-term roadmap for modernization, energy support, or job security. Griffith stressed that any real solution must also involve partnerships with trade unions, local leaders, and the private sector.
A Broader Call for Industrial Reform
Griffith’s remarks are not isolated but part of a growing chorus demanding stronger, more coherent industrial policy frameworks. The UK’s dependency on foreign ownership for strategic assets like British Steel has come under renewed scrutiny, particularly with reports of attempted foreign diversion of coking coal shipments, now under government and military protection.
Griffith concluded by urging the government to bring forward a clear, costed plan that outlines how the UK will maintain sovereign capabilities in critical sectors such as steel, especially as the country faces global supply chain shocks and geopolitical volatility.
Key Takeaways:
• Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith calls government’s British Steel takeover “botched.”
• Griffith accuses the government of acting too late & failing to develop a long-term steel strategy.
• Labour criticizes the takeover as lacking clarity, direction, & sufficient stakeholder engagement.
• UK government took control of British Steel after Jingye planned to close Scunthorpe’s blast furnaces.
• Griffith warns that the move risks being a superficial fix without real investment in green steelmaking.
• Around 2,700 jobs remain in limbo, with workers demanding clarity on future employment.
• Emergency legislation bypassed detailed parliamentary debate, raising transparency concerns.
• Government denies full nationalisation but has not presented a modernisation plan.
• Labour urges collaboration with trade unions & local communities to secure steel’s future.
• Griffith calls for broader reforms to protect UK industrial sovereignty amid global instability.
