Tata Steel has announced it has signed an agreement to sell its South Yorkshire specialty steels operation to Liberty House Group.
John, who is the MP for Aldwarke, home of the electric arc steelworks, said: “It’s great news to get the thumbs up from the Tata board for this sale. It should be a big step in securing steel-making in South Yorkshire for the long-term. Liberty House have pledged the investment, jobs and marketing that can continue Specialty Steel’s success.
“2016 was an awful year of job cuts and uncertainty in Tata but the sale agreement means steel-workers and their families can start to see light at the end of the tunnel during 2017.
“Now I urge both Tata and Liberty to work flat out, with the unions, to complete the sale and restore confidence in our Rotherham and Stocksbridge steel plants.
“We will also press the Prime Minister make good on her promise of a new industrial strategy. It’s high time that Ministers followed their warm words with action to help our UK steel industry on energy costs, business rates, skills funding and a strong buy-British bias in big government projects. This would be a clear signal to the world that UK steel has a strong future, whatever the economic uncertainties that Brexit brings.”