Tag: nationalisation

UK Government secures raw materials to save British Steel

NATIONALISATION BY ANY OTHER NAME?

The Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is pushing ahead with efforts to safeguard British Steel. Today [Tuesday 15 April] he will travel up to Immingham as the raw materials that have been waiting in the dock are unloaded and transported to the site, following the government settling payment for them.

The materials – which have arrived from the US – are enough to keep the blast furnaces running for the coming weeks, with officials continuing to work at pace to get a steady pipeline of materials to keep the fire burning.

A separate ship which contains yet more coking coal is on the way to the UK from Australia. This cargo was the subject of a legal dispute between British Steel and Jingye over the weekend that has now been resolved. The materials have been paid for using existing DBT budgets.

New legislation passed last weekend, in an unprecedented move, gives Government the power to direct the company’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running. It also permits the Government to do these things itself if needed. 

The government acted to protect 37,000 jobs in supply chains and ensure we can build the infrastructure needed to deliver growth which is fundamental to the Plan for Change.

On Monday, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds confirmed the appointment of Allan Bell as interim Chief Executive Officer, and Lisa Coulson as interim Chief Commercial Officer, both with immediate effect – ensuring the right expertise is in place to keep the site running smoothly.

After intensive work over the weekend, the government has secured coke and iron ore pellets for the blast furnaces and is confident there will be enough materials to keep the furnaces burning.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We will always act in the interest of working people and UK industry. Thanks to the work of those at British Steel, and in my department, we have moved decisively to secure the raw materials we need to help save British Steel.

“Our industries depend on UK steel and – thanks to our Plan for Change – demand is set to shoot up: helping build the 1.5 million homes, railways, schools and hospitals we need to usher in a decade of national renewal.”

British Steel crisis: Starmer recalls parliament

WESTMINSTER PARLIAMENT SITS TODAY

PRIME Minister Keir Starmer said yesterday: “As Prime Minister, I will always act in the national interest to protect British jobs and British workers.

This afternoon, the future of British steel hangs in the balance. 

Jobs. Investment. Growth. Our economic and national security…are all on the line.

I’ve been to Scunthorpe. I’ve met the steel workers. I know how important steel is, not just to the region, but to the whole country.

It’s part of our national story. Part of the pride and heritage of this nation. And I’ll tell you this – it is essential for our future.

Our Plan for Change means we need more steel not less. So we will act with urgency.

Now, we should be clear – This situation – and our response – is unique.

While it is true that we are facing a new era of global instability our concerns about this plant and negotiations to protect it have been running for years.

This moment could have happened at any time. But it has happened now.

And I will not stand by. There is no time to waste.

So we are recalling Parliament tomorrow for a Saturday sitting.

We will pass emergency legislation in one day to give the Business Secretary the powers to do everything possible to stop the closure of these blast furnaces.

And as I have said, we will keep all options on the table.

Our future is in our hands.

This government will not sit back and just hope. We will act to secure Britain’s future.

With British steel: made in Britain, in the national interest.

Scotland’s railways in the hands of Scotland’s people

Local candidate welcomes Scottish Government taking over Scotrail

Edinburgh Western SNP candidate Sarah Masson has welcomed the announcement that the SNP Scottish Government is taking over the running of the country’s rail franchise.

ScotRail services will move into public sector control when the current franchise with Abellio expires – expected to happen in March 2022.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson announced that rail services will be run by an arm’s length company owned and controlled by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government’s decision to run our railways through what it known as the ‘Operator of Last Resort’ has been shaped by a number of factors, including faults with the current franchising system, uncertainty from a year-long delay in the UK Government’s rail review and the effects of the Covid pandemic.

Commenting on the announcement Sarah Masson, SNP candidate for Edinburgh Western, said: “This bold move by the SNP Scottish Government will bring welcome stability and certainty to those who use our railway for work and leisure, both in Edinburgh and across the country.

“And the news that current ScotRail staff will transfer to the new Scottish Government owned company, with their terms and conditions protected, will also provide much-needed security to those who rely on our railways for their livelihoods.

“The SNP have long argued that the future structure of Scottish railways should be in Scotland’s hands. It’s well beyond time that the Tory UK Government listened and devolved rail powers to Holyrood.

“However, this move is both bold and welcome and will ensure Scotland’s rail users are provided with the well-run, affordable and reliable service we rightly expect.”

Letters: Essential services for the many, not the few

Dear Editor

In the medical field funding for research is being directed into preventing disease and ill health. It must seem to most people an obvious and sensible thing to do and will benefit everyone in many different ways.

In the economic field, research and study have been made by many, particularly into the capitalist system under which we all live today.

Capitalism as a system has been greatly aided by new technology developed over two hundred years, enabling almost complete control over the workforce by  a few people. This control is needed to maintain the sytem.

Many improvements to people’s lives have been won through struggles by the workforce but the capitalist system is incapable of working in a progressive, continuous way. It creates slumps, mini booms and further slumps: each slump gets more severe, sometimes leading to terrible wars between countries.

Detailed studies of capitalism show it is confrontational with the workforce to extract the maximum profit from it’s work. This profit is in the form of goods made to be sold, but if the buying ability of the workforce here and abroad are restricted a slump will occur with all the poverty and hardships that follow.

So what is it possible to do?

To start, the major industries essential for everyone’s survival: the energy utilities and bus, rail and tram passenger transport should be taken into public ownership: this would ensure the whole population benefits, not the few.

These actions are political and need laws passed to proceed – only the Labour Party have said they will do it.

But first every Labour candidate for election must make building maximum unity on these issues a priority, and, when elected, act in the declared interests of their constituents by supporting the required legislation.

It can be done; changes can be made to benefit everyone.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letter: In the public interest

letter (2)

Dear Editor

In the main, the wealth of the nation is represented by the amount of products made by the people of the UK.

After paying wages and other costs the remainder is the owner’s profit, so it follows that the owner’s aim is to get as much produced for as little as possible; for the workers, their aim is to get better wages, working conditions and job security.

Given the fantastic profits being made by many industries, and the disgraceful salaries and bonuses being handed out to top management, it shows the distribution of wealth is very one-sided. The interests of owners and management as helped by having supporters in top political positions.

If the position was reversed, and workers had the overwhelming support of their political representatives, it would be a fair and just situation in that the interests of the majority of the population takes precedent over the very few. These interests would go beyond asking the employers for a few extra pounds in wages that – in a very short time – is swallowed up in rising prices.

Interests common to all are gas, electricity, water supplies, bus and rail transport, road transport and fuel supplies to get to and from work; also in particular the NHS and allied services, local services and amenities, green and open spaces.

These are a minimum of industries and services that should be run in the public interest, not for private profit; there are no doubt many other common interests that could be listed.

I believe a very large majority of people would support such a programme – a programme that worked for them, not the interests of the few.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens