I travelled up from Plymouth yesterday evening to be in the Commons today for the recall of Parliament to pass legislation to support the British steel industry.

The Labour government will always do what is necessary to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

We are doing what previous governments have failed to, acting in the national interest to help secure UK steelmaking for the future.

We have always said we would keep all options on the table for British Steel and have been working around the clock to protect jobs.

Today, the Government took decisive action to keep all options on the table so that we can secure the future of the blast furnace to make primary steel, bringing security to the thousands of steelworkers at the site, their families and the community of Scunthorpe.

We have always been clear there is a bright future for steel in the UK which is why we have committed billions of pounds of support to back British industry and bring renewal.

Parliament was recalled to introduce emergency legislation regarding steel
undertakings. I backed the legislation today. And despite the bluster from the Conservatives not a single MP voted against the bill.

I want to see British steel used in our defence equipment, on the railways and in construction projects. For that to happen, we need to protect primary steel production and that means taking action on British Steel in the national interest.