Britain’s steel industry: decline isn’t just down to Tata

Tata Steel announced on the 30 March 2016 that it planned to sell its UK business after concluding that saving its plants in the country was not affordable.

In a statement it said 'While the global steel demand, especially in developed markets like Europe has remained muted following the financial crisis of 2008, trading conditions in the UK and Europe have rapidly deteriorated more recently, due to structural factors including global oversupply of steel, significant increase in third country exports into Europe, high manufacturing costs, continued weakness in domestic market demand in steel and a volatile currency'.

United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron chaired crisis talks on the UK steel industry on the 31 March 2016. UK Business Secretary Sajid Javid visited Port Talbot on the 1 April 2016 to help secure the long term future of the steel industry there.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 30.03.16: Brexit campaign seeks gains from Tata Steel’s UK exit http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/brexit-campaign-seeks-gains-from-tata-steels-uk-exit/

ESO: Background information: Steel protesters call for EU help http://www.europeansources.info/record/steel-protesters-call-for-eu-help/

The Guardian, 30.03.16: British steel plants must be sold within weeks, says Tata http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/30/tata-steels-british-plants-must-be-sold-within-weeks

UK: GOV.UK: Press Release, 30.03.16: PM call with Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones: 30 March 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-call-with-welsh-first-minister-carwyn-jones-30-march-2016

EUObserver, 01.04.16: EU seen as saviour and culprit of UK steel crisis https://euobserver.com/economic/132869

The Conversation, 31.03.16: If the banks were too big to fail, why isn’t the British steel industry? https://theconversation.com/if-the-banks-were-too-big-to-fail-why-isnt-the-british-steel-industry-57071

UK: GOV.UK: Press Release, 30.03.16: Government response: Tata Steel announcement: Sajid Javid response https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tata-steel-announcement-sajid-javid-response

UK: GOV.UK: Press Release, 01.04.16: Sajid Javid meeting workers and managers at Port Talbot today https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sajid-javid-meeting-workers-and-managers-at-port-talbot-today

ESO: Background information: Steel industry: Commission takes action to preserve sustainable jobs and growth in Europe http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-steel-industry-commission-takes-action-to-preserve-sustainable-jobs-and-growth-in-europe/

BBC News, 01.04.16: Tata Steel: Sajid Javid to visit Port Talbot steelworkers http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35939409

The Guardian, 01.04.16: UK accused of leading efforts to block limits to Chinese steel dumping http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/01/steel-crisis-uk-accused-blocking-eu-attempts-regulate-chinese-dumping

Website: Tata Steel n Europe http://www.tatasteeleurope.com/

Tata Steel: News, 30.03.16: Review of European Portfolio of Tata Steel http://www.tatasteeleurope.com/en/news/news/review-of-european-portfolio-of-tata-steel

Politico, 01.04.16: [Opinion]: Britain’s unbending response to Tata Steel exposes a broken politics http://www.politico.eu/article/tata-steel-britain-unbending-reaction-broken-politics-sajid-javid/

Blog: Open Europe, 30.03.16: Would the UK’s steel industry be better off outside the EU? http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/would-the-uks-steel-industry-be-better-off-outside-the-eu/

EurActiv, 05.04.16: Lead EU carbon policymaker calls for help for British steel http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/lead-eu-carbon-policymaker-calls-for-help-for-steel/

The Conversation, 10.11.16: Britain’s needless kick in the teeth for its struggling steel mills http://theconversation.com/britains-needless-kick-in-the-teeth-for-its-struggling-steel-mills-67983

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