Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, expressed grave concerns about Scunthorpe’s future during his recent visit to the British Steel plant, which is on the brink of potential job losses. Mr Farage stated that if the steelmaking operations close, the outlook for Scunthorpe could be ‘pretty bleak’. The party leader, along with deputy Richard Tice and mayoral candidate for Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, called for the nationalisation of the plant, highlighting the urgency of securing raw material orders to keep the operations going. Mr Farage emphasised the importance of the plant as a strategic national asset and the impact of potential job losses on the local economy. He also challenged the plant’s owners, Jingye Group, on their commitment to maintaining operations, despite their reported investment of over £1.2bn since 2020. Mr Farage also expressed scepticism about the recent Government initiative, the British Industry Supercharger package, that aims to bring UK energy costs in line with other economies worldwide. The leader criticised the high energy costs in the UK, which he considered a key factor in the current crisis at the steelworks. Finally, Mr Farage touched on the issue of US tariffs on steel imports, stating that the UK could potentially negotiate a sensible free trade deal.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
