Sarah Champion MP Comments on Situation at Liberty Steel

Sarah Champion MP, Member of Parliament for Rotherham has called on the Government to closely monitor developments at Liberty Steel and its parent company, GFG Alliance, following the collapse of one of its major lenders, Greensill Capital.

Commenting, Sarah said:

“The issues at Liberty are deeply troubling and I know that workers at the plants will be concerned for their jobs. I welcome talks between trade unions and Liberty and that these were positive and constructive.’

‘However, it’s very concerning that GFG has acknowledged that, while the alliance as a whole remains operationally strong, there are exceptions including in its UK operations.’

‘I urge Liberty to do all it can to quickly secure new capital and to provide reassurance to its Rotherham employees. The loss of jobs at Liberty would be a severe blow for our local economy, at the worst possible time.”

Sarah is in communication with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng MP, urging the Government to closely monitor the situation.

Sarah said:

“Liberty has pointed to weakness in the aerospace sector as a factor in the performance of its UK operations. I raised this issue in Parliament on Monday and have been calling for broader Government support for the aerospace sector throughout the pandemic. It is particularly disappointing to see issues about which the Government has been repeatedly warned being cited as contributing to the uncertainty facing Rotherham’s steel workers.’

‘Since becoming an MP eight years ago I have been urging the Government to address the underlying barriers that have affected Britain’s steel industry. The Government must commit to resolve issues with business rates, high energy costs and government procurement to enable British steel not only to survive but to thrive.’

‘I continue to do all that I can to protect jobs in Rotherham. Steel is a vital strategic industry, a major local employer, and a fundamental part of our town’s identity. The Government must actively engage with these issues and work to secure a strong, profitable future for steel in Rotherham.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors: