UK Takes British Steel Over From Chinese Owners

The UK Parliament on Saturday approved emergency legislation allowing the government to effectively take control of Britain's last factory that makes steel from its Chinese owners. After being called back from recess for only the sixth Saturday session of Parliament since World War II, both houses passed the measure in one day. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the government now is likely to nationalize British Steel's Scunthorpe plant that has 2,700 employees, the BBC reports. "Today, my government has stepped in to save British steel," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.

The legislation mostly is intended to keep Jingye Group from closing the two massive blast furnaces at the plant in the north of England, per the AP. Starmer and Cabinet members decided that required emergency powers after negotiations with Jingye stalled, per the Guardian. Blaming market conditions and rising environmental costs, the company said the plant is losing more than $900,000 per day—before President Trump's 25% tariff on imported steel. The company retains ownership, but the government can control management and workers to keep production going and can enter the plant by force if necessary. "All options are on the table to secure the future of the industry," the prime minister said.

After the bill passed Saturday, Starmer went to the town that has been making steel for about 150 years. Steelworkers, their families, and supporters had held a march and rally at the stadium, chanting, "We want our steel back." Rob Barroclough, who works at the plant, told the BBC, "Our family, like many others, is built around the steelworks." A few dozen steelworkers took to the field Saturday during a break in a soccer match at Attis Arena. The crowd cheered in relief, per the AP. (More United Kingdom stories.)