Government ‘confident’ British Steel furnaces will stay on

Downing Street has said it is “confident” the raw materials needed to keep the furnaces at British Steel’s Scunthorpe site switched on will reach it in time.
The government has been attempting to source the material needed to fuel the plant’s central blast furnaces since taking control of it on Saturday, and has confirmed a shipment will arrive “in the coming days”.
Ministers seized control of operations after talks with British Steel’s Chinese owner Jingye broke down, and the government accused the firm of planning to switch the furnaces off.
Beijing has accused the British government of “politicising trade cooperation” and said the move raised doubts about investment in the UK.
Officials had been attempting to obtain the coking coal and iron ore needed to power the steel-producing furnaces – materials which ministers have accused Jingye of selling off.

Source: BBC | Language: English