PM Urged To Recall Parliament Over Steel Crisis

Jeremy Corbyn has called for Parliament to be recalled over Tata Steel (BSE: TATASTEEL.BO - news) 's decision to consider a sale of its entire UK business - threatening thousands of jobs.

The Labour leader wrote to David Cameron as Business Secretary Sajid Javid cut short a trip to Australia and the Government promised "a real fight" to save the British steel industry.

The Prime Minister will hold talks with ministers on Thursday morning, Sky News understands, while a spokesman said it was Mr Javid's "absolute priority" to meet with affected Port Talbot workers on his return.

In his letter, Mr Corbyn wrote: "The news that Tata is preparing to pull out of steelmaking in Britain puts thousands of jobs across the country and a strategic UK-wide industry at risk.

"MPs must have the chance now to debate the future of steel and hold ministers to account for their failure to intervene."

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The Government has been criticised for not sending a representative to a board meeting in Mumbai, India, where Tata executives decided to look into selling their UK interests.

Workers had been hoping Tata would agree a plan to keep steelmaking in Port Talbot and other UK plants. Among the other plants that will be affected are Rotherham, Corby and Shotton.

Business minister Anna Soubry said the Government had received a plan last week from unions and management to keep production going at the Port Talbot plant, which is currently losing £1m a day.

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She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the Government was considering "all options" - including taking a stake in the business until a private sector buyer could be found.

She said: "We want enough time to be able to secure a buyer. That will take months.

"We're determined to do everything we can to make sure we continue to make steel at places like Port Talbot."

Ms Soubry said she could not promise to save steelworkers' jobs but told ITV (LSE: ITV.L - news) 's Good Morning Britain: "I promise a real fight to secure that [steel production], not just for this generation but for future generations."

The Community Union is calling for an urgent meeting with David Cameron, warning the UK is "now on the verge of a national crisis".

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Tata said its board had unanimously concluded that a plan aimed at saving plants including Port Talbot was unaffordable, adding it had been in "deep engagement" with the Government in seeking its support for the UK business.

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, who is with union delegates in India, told Sky News that while it was "disappointing" Tata had not supported a rescue plan, it was good news they were looking for potential buyers.

He said: "That is the most important thing: that Port Talbot continues to produce steel."

Tata had already announced more than 1,000 job cuts in January, including 750 at Port Talbot in south Wales.

Thousands of steel jobs have been lost in the past year, with companies blaming cheap Chinese imports and high energy costs.

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones told Sky News: "We will work with the UK Government in order to secure the future of our steel industry.

"We believe it has a future and what we need is help to get it over a difficult position it faces at the moment - and if it means that state ownership is considered, then that will have to be considered."

There have also been calls for the Welsh Assembly to be recalled from its Easter recess to discuss the crisis.

Such a move was backed by Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, who told Sky News: "Everything needs to be done now and all parties need to pull together to try and make sure there is a future, because it's not just one individual steel plant that is at stake here, it's an entire industry."