“The price the UK pays for dependence on overseas suppliers is often high, particularly in manufacturing and energy. There’s nothing wrong with being part of global supply chains, but there is something very wrong with losing domestic production and skills in a strategically-important industry. The loss of steelmaking would leave the UK vulnerable to global shocks, with dangerous consequences across the economy.
“The mistakes made in the nuclear industry decades ago must not be repeated in the steel industry today. There is a clear case for further government action to protect British steelmaking capacity, as it underpins so much of British manufacturing and construction. Our global competitors would not hesitate on an issue like this.”
