The loss of steelmaking is a threat to our security. But Labour will rekindle Wales’s proud industrial roots, says Jo Stevens

Nowhere is that more apparent than at Port Talbot steelworks, which I visited last month to hear more about the exciting work happening to modernise the way we make steel.

But, like the industrial towers that loom over the skyline, the risk to workers’ livelihoods dominated the day. The proposal to close both blast furnaces by the end of this year risks deep cuts to jobs, with up to 3,000 people at risk of redundancy.

Speaking to steelworkers that day, the pride they feel in their work was clear. So too was the despondence and anguish they feel at the risk of losing their livelihoods. For them, their jobs are about more than just work, they are a community, with deep roots across south Wales.

Short-sighted Tory ministers look set to economically abandon this part of south Wales. Ministers have compounded the risk to livelihoods, effectively forking out £500million of taxpayers’ money to make up to 3,000 people redundant.

The Business Secretary – not known for diplomacy – said Wales should consider this a win. The Welsh Secretary has said its mission accomplished on saving Welsh steelmaking.

Their attitude shows a casual indifference to thousands of people across south Wales whose jobs are at stake, a fundamental misunderstanding of the regional economy, and total disregard for the need to preserve the UK’s sovereign steelmaking capability.

The Welsh Secretary has said that “no one will be left behind” if they lose their job. If cuts go ahead, I will be holding him to account every step of the way.
I want to see the UK ministers providing the support and retraining that will be needed on a huge scale to ensure these highly-skilled workers find their feet after a difficult period.

The truth is the Conservatives’ approach is totally self-defeating. However ministers try to spin it, the loss of sovereign steelmaking is a fundamental threat to our economy and security.

Research I have commissioned has revealed that Port Talbot produces a quarter of the amount of steel needed for government infrastructure projects over the next decade in just one year.

So not only are ministers risking the livelihoods of thousands of people, they’re constraining our ability to make the wind turbines we need to lower our energy bills and create the jobs of the future. In a world that is becoming more dangerous, it is this short-termism that leaves us vulnerable to foreign tyrants like Putin, who can threaten our energy security and drive up bills on a whim.

With Labour, the future looks different.

We will invest an additional £2.5billion on top of the Government’s planned £500million in the UK steel by the end of the first term of a Labour government to help protect jobs, our steelmaking capability and transition sustainably to green steel making. With Labour the future of UK steel will be fuelled by the skills, talent and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.

We will also increase domestic demand for steel by tripling solar power, more than doubling onshore wind capacity and quadrupling offshore wind by 2030.

We can build the economy of the future, creating good quality jobs, driving down energy bills and providing energy security.

We will rekindle Wales's proud industrial roots with the jobs and industries of the future.