Statement from Community: Response to Keir Starmer’s remarks on the Welsh steel industry

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Responding to Keir Starmer’s remarks on the Welsh steel industry today, Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss said:

“In his speech in Monmouthshire today Keir Starmer demonstrated why Labour is the only party that will stand up for working people, and highlighted how a strong partnership between Labour governments in Westminster and the Senedd will make a real difference for the people of Wales, compared to the 14 years of Tory chaos we’ve seen.

“We welcomed Keir’s comments on securing a long-term future for the steel industry in Wales. But not only that, we praise Keir for speaking on the issue that both Rishi Sunak’s Tory Party and Tata have failed to, and that’s the human cost facing all Tata steelworkers at Port Talbot and the downstream sites.

“He was absolutely right that it is not too late for the company to change course from their damaging bad deal for steel and put the needs of steel workers and the country first.

“We have an alternative Multi-Union Plan ready to go which would ensure we will maintain primary steelmaking capacity in South Wales; securing not only thousands of jobs and the local economy, but also the security needs of our country. We urge Tata and the government to look again at our plan before they make further decisions which cannot be reversed and irrevocably damage our economy and security.

“Labour has stood with us, our members and our industry in the face of the Tories vandalism of our industry. Labour’s commitment to a game-changing £3billion investment in decarbonising the UK’s steel industry over the next decade is the ambition we need to see from the UK Government on steel.

“Our steel industry needs change; our steel industry needs Labour.”