News: 6,000 pledge support to Save our Steel campaign
Rotherham MP, Denis MacShane has delivered the Save our Steel petition to parliament which included over 6,000 signatures.
Earlier in the month, MacShane raised the issue of the steel industry in Rotherham in a debate at Westminster.
He outlined the importance of the industry to the area, and the country, before urging the government to provide more support in response to the recently announced restructure.
The restructure could result in over 400 redundancies at Rotherham sites, added to the 700 announced in January.
The debate highlighted support seen in other European countries, such as short time working, retraining and measures to increase the demand for steel.
Mr MacShane has urged the Government to intervene with EDF, the French electricity company, to urge EDF to provide industrial-use electricity at fair prices to Corus.
In the Commons, MacShane asked fellow South Yorkshire MP, Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to talk to EDF and ask them to agree a contract with Corus based on the electricity prices charged on the continent.
He said: "Corus Engineering Steel has been crippled by high electricity prices compared to the EU average, even though Corus made handsome profits in Europe last year on the back of high steel prices.
My appeal to Corus is to ride out the down-turn in demand and avoid laying off skilled production workers. The drop in demand is not forever and Tata Corus has to take the long view. The company will not be pardoned if it sheds workers and close down facilities.
I am urging every government minister to think differently and my appeal to Ed Miliband is part of this political process. But the ultimate responsibility lies with Tata Corus. The workforce has done everything asked of it. Now it the turn of the company to show long-term vision."
First Secretary Lord Mandelson will be meeting steelworkers in Rotherham on Friday July 17.
Denis MacShane website
Rotherham
Earlier in the month, MacShane raised the issue of the steel industry in Rotherham in a debate at Westminster.
He outlined the importance of the industry to the area, and the country, before urging the government to provide more support in response to the recently announced restructure.
The restructure could result in over 400 redundancies at Rotherham sites, added to the 700 announced in January.
The debate highlighted support seen in other European countries, such as short time working, retraining and measures to increase the demand for steel.
Mr MacShane has urged the Government to intervene with EDF, the French electricity company, to urge EDF to provide industrial-use electricity at fair prices to Corus.
In the Commons, MacShane asked fellow South Yorkshire MP, Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to talk to EDF and ask them to agree a contract with Corus based on the electricity prices charged on the continent.
He said: "Corus Engineering Steel has been crippled by high electricity prices compared to the EU average, even though Corus made handsome profits in Europe last year on the back of high steel prices.
My appeal to Corus is to ride out the down-turn in demand and avoid laying off skilled production workers. The drop in demand is not forever and Tata Corus has to take the long view. The company will not be pardoned if it sheds workers and close down facilities.
I am urging every government minister to think differently and my appeal to Ed Miliband is part of this political process. But the ultimate responsibility lies with Tata Corus. The workforce has done everything asked of it. Now it the turn of the company to show long-term vision."
First Secretary Lord Mandelson will be meeting steelworkers in Rotherham on Friday July 17.
Denis MacShane website
RotherhamImages: Denis MacShane MP
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