Tories 'sleeping in the death of the UK steel industry', warns union leader

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Further fears have been raised over the future of the sector after a major report revealed the UK was "falling further behind in the race to develop green steelworks" New fears have been raised for the survival of the industry (

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The Tories are 'sleepwalking into the death' of Britain's steel industry, a union leader warned tonight.

Further fears have been raised over the future of the sector after a major report revealed that the UK is 'falling even further behind in the race to develop green steelworks'.

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to spend £28 billion a year to fund an industry overhaul to help the UK meet its net zero commitments.

She said that unless action is taken, “we are going to import steel, because we have failed to turn our steel industry into green steel.”

A study by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit found that Britain only planned one "green steel" project, compared to 38 in the EU.

The steel sector is blamed for contributing to Britain's carbon emissions (

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Wales Online/Rob Browne)

Ten factories on the continent are already producing green steel.

Jess Ralston, energy analyst at ECIU, warned: "With automakers beginning to seek sources of green steel to support their EV (electric vehicle) expansions, the UK Will Uni be able to compete?"

Steel is responsible for 14% of UK industrial emissions and 2.7% of all UK greenhouse gases.

Ministers and industry leaders have been locked in negotiations over government funding to help the sector shift to more environmentally friendly production.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is under increasing pressure to throw a lifeline to industry when he presents his budget on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, companies are cutting jobs, with British Steel planning to cut 260 jobs and 440 jobs at risk at Liberty Steel.

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB National Officer, said: "Why...