
'We want our steel back' demand Scunthorpe's steelworkers
As MPs are recalled to Westminster to discuss the next steps in the fight to keep British Steel going in Scunthorpe – and with it 2,700 jobs – hundreds of those directly affected take to the streets to make their feelings known. BBC News speaks to them on a campaign march.Scunthorpe United FC's crest depicts a hand gripping an iron bar – an apt metaphor for the town's resolve to keep hold of its steelworks in the face of global forces and tense talks in Westminster, which could pave the way for British Steel to be nationalised.The club's nickname, The Iron, marks the town's long association with the steel industry (although in the 20th Century they were also known as The Nuts, after a local reverend quipped they were "tough nuts to crack" when presenting them with a trophy).
As hundreds of men, women and children spill on to Doncaster Road on their way to Glanford Park – the home of the football club and, for many, the heart of this proud, working class town in North Lincolnshire – there is the same air of stoicism and defiance."We want our steel back!" chants the crowd, as passing motorists toot their horns in support.
Among the crowd are Dave Palmer and his stepson Ethan Unitt, both wearing Scunthorpe United jerseys.Mr Palmer, 65, says: "My dad and uncles worked at the steelworks. I did for a bit, too. Those works are the beating heart of Scunthorpe – lose it and you lose the town. Simple as."He says the club has historically had close ties with the steelworks."Back when the club played at the Old Showground, kick-off was always 3.15pm – 15 minutes after other fixtures – to accommodate the steel lads on the 6am to 2pm shift, giving them enough time to get to the game."Pointing to the crest on his Scunthorpe Unit shirt, Mr Unitt adds: "This town is the steelworks. That's why we're The Iron."
Word filters through quickly to those on the march that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says nationalisation may be a "likely option", with the bill to help the plant stay open clearing the House of Commons."It's brilliant news," says Thomas Smith, branch secretary for the Community union, which organised the march.He believes nationalisation represents the best chance of saving steelmaking in Scunthorpe."We're not there yet but we're close," he says.Mr Smith, a British Steel plant operator, shouts to others to get the banners to the front of the procession, before continuing: "If we lose the works, we lose the beating heart of Scunthorpe."Some in the crowd direct insults at Jingye, British Steel's Chinese owner, which has said the plant is "no longer financially sustainable" and is losing about £700,000 a day.Jingye officials were unable to access the site this morning, sources have told the BBC.But Mr Smith doesn't join in the chanting."Jingye took us over when no-one else would," he says. "Without them, British Steel would be gone now. So I'm saying to them, 'Thank you, Jingye. But now it's time for us to go our separate ways, with us under the British government'."Looking around at the families on the march, he adds: "All this isn't just for us. It's for future generations that will suffer if it closes."People such as Rob Barroclough's boys.Mr Barroclough is wearing a British Steel hoodie. He is with his two young sons. He says his wife, back home with their daughter, is expecting their fourth child in May.
His sons are clutching a placard that says, "Our town, our jobs, our futures"."We are one steel family," explains Mr Barroclough. "Our family, like many others, is built around the steelworks. Who knows? My boys might end up working there one day, if it can be saved."He tells of the strain of the past few weeks."There have been a lot of very emotional, dark nights," he says. "We're hoping for the best but planning for the worst."Another worker, Nick Adams, 28, wearing a British Steel polo shirt, tells me he is heartened by the turnout.He started working in the steelworks' rod mill in September 2022, and in August next year he is due to get married."My partner and I also have a mortgage to pay," he says. "It's a huge worry for us both."If the works close, I'll end up having to commute out of the town."
Mr Adams tells of the likely impact on the town should the works close."It won't just be felt by those directly employed by British Steel," he says. "It'll impact the butchers, the cafes, even the football club."Fifth generation steelworker, Kieran, 30, who does not want to give his surname, looks lost."I've worked at the steelworks since I left school. I couldn't imagine working anywhere else," he says."I had to come down here. We need to show the country how much our steelworks mean to us."
Before the march, Martin Hopper, Glanford Park's stadium manager, said the club was only too happy to back the steelworkers."We are a community-based club and a lot of our fans are current steelworkers, retired steelworkers or know someone who is, so it's really important we support them," he said.While he admitted he "does not know the ins and outs" of complex discussions happening 170 miles away in Westminster, he hoped a solution can be found to keep the site open."Anything the government can do to make British Steel in Scunthorpe sustainable has got to be welcomed," he said."Steel is a massive part of this town and has been for a number of years."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

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Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Government facing ‘walk of shame' over Chinese embassy decision
Plans for a Chinese super-embassy in central London have become a 'walk of shame' for the Government, a former leader of the Conservative Party has said. Sir Iain Duncan Smith said response by the Government to the proposed embassy near the the capital's financial district had become 'Project Kowtow', as he criticised the Government for 'one denial after another (and) one betrayal after another'. Sir Iain referred to the warnings reportedly issued by the White House and Dutch government to Downing Street over the plans, which is set to be scrutinised by ministers. The worries stem from the close proximity of the proposed embassy's Royal Mint Court site to data centres and communication cables. The Sunday Times said the US was 'deeply concerned' about the plans, quoting a senior US official. In response, planning minister Matthew Pennycook said he could not give a full response as the matter was still to come before the department for a decision, and any verdict could be challenged by the courts. Sir Iain said: 'Beijing has a recent history of cutting cables and confirmed infrastructure hacks, including embedding malware capable of disabling all that infrastructure. 'Minister Peter Kyle yesterday on television said surprisingly that this was in the planning process and could be managed. Will the minister correct this record? The planning inquiry has concluded, no changes can be made to the Chinese planning application at all. 'I'll remind him the application contains nothing about cabling. Indeed to the inquiry, the Chinese have rejected only two requests, which he referred to actually, made by the Government in the letter from the foreign and home secretaries, despite ministers regularly saying that this letter, and I quote, should give those concerned, 'comfort'.' The Conservative MP said rerouting the cables would cost millions of pounds, and asked Mr Pennycook why the Government had denied the existence of cables until the White House confirmed it. He asked Mr Pennycook to deny reports by Chinese state media, saying the UK had given the Chinese assurances that it would allow a development 'no matter what'. He added: 'I see this as Project Kowtow, one denial after another, one betrayal after another. No wonder our allies believe that this Chinese mega embassy is now becoming a walk of shame for the Government.' Mr Pennycook replied because of the 'quasi-judicial nature' of his role, he could not comment on details of the application. He also said it would not be 'appropriate' for him to comment on the cabling or national security issues. He said he did not 'recognise the characterisation' by the Sunday Times of the embassy being raised in talks between the UK and China on trade. 'It is important to also emphasise that only material planning considerations can be taken into account in determining this case,' he said. 'But, as I say, I cannot comment in any detail on a case and it is not yet before the department.' Tory shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake said Parliament had been treated with disdain by the Government. Mr Hollinrake said: 'Question after question, letter after letter, the Government has consistently treated Parliament with complete disregard on this matter. Stonewalling legitimate inquiries about national security, about ministerial discussions, and warnings about security bodies.' He added: 'Why won't the Government follow the examples of the US, Australian, and Irish governments which veto similar embassies that threaten their national security? 'The Government is on the verge of making a decision that will lead to huge risk, that will persist for decades. Will they change course before it is too late?' Mr Pennycook replied: 'No decision has been made on this case. No application is yet before the department.' Marie Rimmer, Labour MP for St Helens South and Whiston, said: 'China has a track record of aggressive state-backed espionage, and surely this country cannot afford to make a massive underestimation of what risk if this would go ahead?' She added: 'We cannot not say anything in this House. We must comment on what we see, and please understand that we must do so.' Meanwhile, former security minister, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, asked whether the Government believed the Chinese would treat a similar application in the same way. He said: 'Do you honestly believe that thr minister thinks that the Chinese would look at this proposal in the same way? 'Do we actually in this House believe that our economic security being threatened, as highlighted by the Americans and the Dutch, would go through a bureaucratic planning process with no ability to vary it because, frankly, them's the orders? 'I don't think that's the way China would do it, and it's certainly not the way we should.' Mr Pennycook replied: 'I'm very glad that we have a different and more robust planning system than the People's Republic of China.' Later in the session, Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) asked if the officer considering the case is 'cleared to receive top secret information'. Mr Pennycook replied: 'A planning inspector is assessing the case as part of a public inquiry. 'And I'm afraid, while I recognise why (Mr Jopp) has asked the question, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on national security matters.'


North Wales Chronicle
6 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Government facing ‘walk of shame' over Chinese embassy decision
Sir Iain Duncan Smith said response by the Government to the proposed embassy near the the capital's financial district had become 'Project Kowtow', as he criticised the Government for 'one denial after another (and) one betrayal after another'. Sir Iain referred to the warnings reportedly issued by the White House and Dutch government to Downing Street over the plans, which is set to be scrutinised by ministers. The worries stem from the close proximity of the proposed embassy's Royal Mint Court site to data centres and communication cables. The Sunday Times said the US was 'deeply concerned' about the plans, quoting a senior US official. In response, planning minister Matthew Pennycook said he could not give a full response as the matter was still to come before the department for a decision, and any verdict could be challenged by the courts. Sir Iain said: 'Beijing has a recent history of cutting cables and confirmed infrastructure hacks, including embedding malware capable of disabling all that infrastructure. 'Minister Peter Kyle yesterday on television said surprisingly that this was in the planning process and could be managed. Will the minister correct this record? The planning inquiry has concluded, no changes can be made to the Chinese planning application at all. 'I'll remind him the application contains nothing about cabling. Indeed to the inquiry, the Chinese have rejected only two requests, which he referred to actually, made by the Government in the letter from the foreign and home secretaries, despite ministers regularly saying that this letter, and I quote, should give those concerned, 'comfort'.' The Conservative MP said rerouting the cables would cost millions of pounds, and asked Mr Pennycook why the Government had denied the existence of cables until the White House confirmed it. He asked Mr Pennycook to deny reports by Chinese state media, saying the UK had given the Chinese assurances that it would allow a development 'no matter what'. He added: 'I see this as Project Kowtow, one denial after another, one betrayal after another. No wonder our allies believe that this Chinese mega embassy is now becoming a walk of shame for the Government.' Mr Pennycook replied because of the 'quasi-judicial nature' of his role, he could not comment on details of the application. He also said it would not be 'appropriate' for him to comment on the cabling or national security issues. He said he did not 'recognise the characterisation' by the Sunday Times of the embassy being raised in talks between the UK and China on trade. 'It is important to also emphasise that only material planning considerations can be taken into account in determining this case,' he said. 'But, as I say, I cannot comment in any detail on a case and it is not yet before the department.' Tory shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake said Parliament had been treated with disdain by the Government. Mr Hollinrake said: 'Question after question, letter after letter, the Government has consistently treated Parliament with complete disregard on this matter. Stonewalling legitimate inquiries about national security, about ministerial discussions, and warnings about security bodies.' He added: 'Why won't the Government follow the examples of the US, Australian, and Irish governments which veto similar embassies that threaten their national security? 'The Government is on the verge of making a decision that will lead to huge risk, that will persist for decades. Will they change course before it is too late?' Mr Pennycook replied: 'No decision has been made on this case. No application is yet before the department.' Marie Rimmer, Labour MP for St Helens South and Whiston, said: 'China has a track record of aggressive state-backed espionage, and surely this country cannot afford to make a massive underestimation of what risk if this would go ahead?' She added: 'We cannot not say anything in this House. We must comment on what we see, and please understand that we must do so.' Meanwhile, former security minister, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, asked whether the Government believed the Chinese would treat a similar application in the same way. He said: 'Do you honestly believe that thr minister thinks that the Chinese would look at this proposal in the same way? 'Do we actually in this House believe that our economic security being threatened, as highlighted by the Americans and the Dutch, would go through a bureaucratic planning process with no ability to vary it because, frankly, them's the orders? 'I don't think that's the way China would do it, and it's certainly not the way we should.' Mr Pennycook replied: 'I'm very glad that we have a different and more robust planning system than the People's Republic of China.' Later in the session, Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) asked if the officer considering the case is 'cleared to receive top secret information'. Mr Pennycook replied: 'A planning inspector is assessing the case as part of a public inquiry. 'And I'm afraid, while I recognise why (Mr Jopp) has asked the question, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on national security matters.'

Leader Live
7 hours ago
- Leader Live
TikTok creating more than 500 new British jobs as UK users top 30 million
The Chinese-owned social media firm said its UK workforce would expand to 3,000 this year as part of its 'deep commitment' to the UK. It will also open a new 135,000sq ft office in London's Barbican, which is set to open early next year. The group already has its UK headquarters in Farringdon, London, which were opened in 2022. TikTok unveiled the plans as it said it now has more than 30 million regular users in the UK each month, which makes the market is biggest user community in Europe. Adam Presser, director of TikTok UK and global head of operations and trust and safety, said: 'Whether through direct investment in jobs and innovation, or the wider economic contribution from millions of British businesses on TikTok, we're pleased to be increasing our investment and presence here in the UK, an important hub for TikTok.' But it comes after Cabinet minister Pete Kyle signalled he was looking at measures to restrict the amount of time children spend on their phones, including through a possible 10pm curfew. Mr Kyle was asked on Sunday morning whether he would look at limiting the time children spend on social media to two hours per app after the Sunday People and Mirror reported the measure was being considered by ministers. The Online Safety Act has passed into law, and from this year will require tech platforms to follow new Ofcom-issued codes of practice to keep users safe online, particularly children. Hefty fines and site blockages are among the penalties for those caught breaking the rules, but many critics have argued the approach gives tech firms too much scope to regulate themselves. TikTok's Mr Presser said that, as well as its UK expansion plans, the group also invests 'significantly' in safety. He said: 'What underpins our continued growth is our deep commitment to safety and to creating an enjoyable and secure digital space to sustainably support creators, entrepreneurs and the wider economy, which is why we also invest significantly in safety.' TikTok first launched its UK operations in 2018 and is financially incorporated in Britain. The group was fined 530 million euro (£446 million) by the Irish data protection watchdog last month for breaching EU privacy rules around transferring user data to China. The video-sharing app was also sanctioned for not being transparent with users about where personal data was being sent and ordered the platform to comply with data protection rules within six months. TikTok said it would appeal against the decision. The social media giant, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, has been under scrutiny from regulators around the world over how it handles personal data, and is also facing a ban in the United States over its China links, which the US government has said is a national security issue.