Thousands of jobs at risk as British Steel threatens closure

British Steel is launching a consultation that could see the closure of its two blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, putting between 2,000 and 2,700 jobs at risk.
The company said the blast furnaces were “no longer financially sustainable” due to tough market conditions, the imposition of tariffs and higher environmental costs.
British Steel chief executive Zengwei An said it was “a necessary decision given the hugely challenging circumstances the business faces”.
The GMB union called it “devastating news for the people of Scunthorpe” and called on the government to do “everything possible” to secure the future of steelmaking at the site.
British Steel has been owned by Chinese firm Jingye since 2020 and the Scunthorpe site currently employs around 3,500 people.

Courtesy: BBC