GB News host Martin Daubney has said that he "gets very emotional" over the potential closure of British Steel's blast furnaces in Scunthorpe as the town risks losing thousands of jobs.
British Steel announced on Thursday it will consult on the potential closure of its two blast furnaces and steelmaking operations at Scunthorpe, putting between 2,000 and 2,700 jobs at risk.
The company, owned by Chinese firm Jingye since 2020, said the blast furnaces were "no longer financially sustainable".
Martin said: "I get really emotional about things like this because I'm a coal miner's son. When the pits closed and nothing ever replaced the pits and steel plants, the same was in Port Talbot.
Martin Daubney said he gets "really emotional" about this story
GB NEWS
"When that shut down, I was on the TV with Eamonn Holmes. I got very, very emotional because it's in the blood of the area, the purpose, the industry and the key strategic industry that British Steel is.
"I think this is the mistake. I really, really do. And everybody knows that blast furnace steel is completely different to the electric arc.
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"It's melted down washing machines. You can't build bridges with melted down washing machines. We need to have our own strategic industry.
"Richard Tice thinks it's time to nationalise the British steel industry. I think he might have a point. I really do find £1million rescue deal by Jonathan Reynolds from the Labour Party was rejected.
"Is it also down to net zero and totally now reliant on Chinese steel? They don't play by the same rules.
"They use coal to make that and we simply cannot compete. Something needs to change."
US President Donald Trump's recent imposition of global tariffs of 25 per cent on all steel imports has dealt another blow to the struggling industry.
British Steel said it would begin "formal consultation" with its workforce and unions from today.
The firm also said it would continue working with the UK Government to explore options for the business.
Trade Minister Sarah Jones said yesterday: "We made an offer to British Steel on Monday and they have rejected that offer. We are still in talks with them at the moment."
British Steel in ScunthorpeGB NewsThe GMB union called the potential closures "devastating news for the people of Scunthorpe" and urged the Government to do "everything possible" to secure the future of steelmaking at the site.
The company has been in talks with the UK Government for months regarding a funding package to help replace the blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces, a greener type of steel production.
Britain's steel exports to the US are worth over £400million a year, representing about five per cent of UK steel exports, according to industry body UK Steel.
