Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made a commitment to preserve jobs at the Port Talbot steelworks, located in South Wales. During his visit to the region, Sir Keir was accompanied by the new First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, as they toured the Alltwalis wind farm. The purpose of the visit was to showcase the government’s efforts to address climate change, with the launch of GB Energy, a state-owned company aimed at developing future offshore wind projects.
However, the focus on green initiatives has raised concerns about potential job losses at the Port Talbot steelworks. With the transition to a greener form of steel production, it is expected that the workforce will be reduced by 2,800 employees. When asked about these redundancies, Sir Keir stated that the government will do “everything we can” to support the affected workers. He also emphasized the importance of preserving jobs in the region and acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.
The government has already taken steps to address the impact of the redundancies. Last week, a support package of £13.5 million was announced to assist businesses that rely on Tata Steel as their main customer. The funding will also be used to provide training and qualifications for workers who have been made redundant, with the aim of helping them secure employment in other sectors.
Negotiations between the government and Tata Steel regarding the future of the Port Talbot plant will continue separately. The company has already announced plans to replace blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces, a move that is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 85% and the UK’s overall CO2 output by 1.5%. The Port Talbot site is currently the UK’s largest emitter of CO2.
Sir Keir’s visit to South Wales coincides with the government’s approval of an increase in passengers at London City Airport from 6.5 million to 9 million. This decision has been criticized by environmental campaigners, but the government has stated its commitment to balancing the needs of the aviation industry with environmental obligations.
A government spokesperson said, “We are dedicated to securing the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK while fulfilling our environmental obligations. In line with the recommendation of independent inspectors, ministers have jointly approved a planning appeal submitted by London City Airport.” The spokesperson also addressed concerns about air quality, stating that there is “no conflict in terms of national policy” on the issue.
