Welsh Lib Dems call for u-turn on Tata blast furnace decision

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on Tata Steel to reverse their decision to close blast furnace 4 in Port Talbot.

Last week it was announced that Tata Steel will be closing all their remaining blast furnaces in the UK. Resulting in a potential loss of 3,000 jobs, 2,000 of which would be in Port Talbot.

The Welsh Lib Dems have urged the Steel company to keep blast furnace 4 running until a sustainable transition plan is realised.

Commenting, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

“The current situation in Port Talbot is, whilst rightly being covered as an economic crisis, is also first and foremost a human tragedy.

Behind the headlines and statistics are thousands of workers and their families, being left to deal with years of governmental neglect and a lack of foresight into the future.

The economic, social, and emotional toll that this will have on the community of Port Talbot is unimaginable. But the UK Conservative Government will never know this because they have shown time and time again just how little they care.

The people of Port Talbot accept the need for us all to reach net zero, but not if it means zero jobs. Tata Steel have a duty to keep blast furnace four going until a sustainable transition plan, one which doesn’t lead to job losses, is realised.

We need a longer transition period, one that is sustainable and long term to allows workers to retrain.

Our Welsh workers are not collateral damage, they are people with families who now more than ever need our support and backing.”