- Starmer vows to protect Port Talbot jobs
- £13.5M aid for firms, workers impacted
- Tata plans greener steel, job cuts feared
The government already provided £13.5 million in assistance for those affected by redundancies at the country’s largest steelworks.
Sir Keir Starmer has said that his government will do “everything we can” to keep jobs at the Port Talbot steelworks.
The prime minister was in South Wales, where the site is located, to tour around the Alltwalis wind farm with Eluned Morgan, the new First Minister of Wales.
The two have been promoting the government’s climate credentials in the region, which Sir Keir believes will benefit GB Energy, the state-owned firm established by the government to assist in the development of future offshore wind projects.
However, the acceptance of the green agenda has raised fears about job losses at Port Talbot, the country’s largest steelworks, which is transitioning to a greener style of steel manufacturing that employs fewer individuals.
When asked about the potential 2,800 redundancies, the prime minister stated that the government would do “everything we can” to assist employees.
When asked if he risked giving “false hope” to workers in town, he said no. We’re working really hard on this, both the first minister and myself, because it’s critical that we do everything we can to keep those jobs.
We were working on this when I was in opposition, and we’ve accelerated it since we’ve been in power.
Of course it’s difficult; I believe everyone realises that.
We put some money down in the last week, especially on the supply chain side, but we’ll do everything we can to keep those jobs.
Last week, the government provided £13.5 million in funding to assist firms affected by the Tata Steel layoffs.
The package is intended to assist firms that rely on Tata Steel as a primary customer, while the funds will also be used to assist individuals who have been laid off by providing them with access to training and certifications in industries where job opportunities exist.
Negotiations between the government and Tata Steel over the future of the Port Talbot facility, which now employs 12% of the seaside town’s total population, will continue separately.
Earlier this year, Tata stated that it would move forward with plans to close blast furnaces and replace them with electric arc furnaces as part of its aim to decrease emissions and costs.
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It stated that the move will reduce carbon emissions by roughly 85% and the UK’s overall CO2 output by about 1.5%. The Port Talbot site is the UK’s single largest source of CO2.
Sir Keir’s visit to South Wales coincides with the government’s approval of an increase in passenger capacity at London City Airport from 6.5 million to 9 million, provoking concern from environmentalists.
Labour claims there is “no conflict in terms of national policy” about air quality.
A government spokeswoman stated, “We are committed to securing the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK while protecting our environmental obligations.
Ministers have collectively accepted London City Airport’s planning appeal, in accordance with the recommendations of independent inspectors.
