GUEST COLUMN:
Jessica Morden
MP for Newport East
Last month, I was proud to stand in Parliament and welcome the UK Government’s much-needed Steel Strategy, a bold plan, which sets out this government’s ambition to protect and grow our steel industry, placing British made steel at the heart of our national infrastructure and the country’s renewal, and a strategy the previous government failed to deliver in all its years.
My constituency of Newport East has been shaped, in every sense, by the growth of the steel industry. Since the opening of the first steelworks in Newport back in 1898, steel has played a vital role in our local economy, providing highly skilled, well paid jobs and driving the development of Newport’s communities.
The iconic Transporter Bridge was built to carry steelworkers across the river to Lliswerry, a testament to how deeply steel was woven into the daily life of the then town, and as the eastern side of Newport expanded, other major steel companies made Newport their home.
At the peak of UK steel-making in the 1960s, Spencer Works, better known as Llanwern Steelworks, was opened by the Queen. This vast, modern facility stretched four miles and became central to hot strip steel production in the UK. It was a symbol of Britain’s post war industrial ambition. Entire communities, including the Ringland estate, were developed in the 1950s to house the workers and families who came to Newport to be part of this bright new post-war future in the city.
Over the years, many specialised steel companies have also chosen Newport as their base, including 7 Steel, formerly BRC Reinforcements, each providing excellent, well paid jobs and contributing to the city’s industrial strength.
Of course, the steel industry in Newport no longer looks as it once did. Over recent decades, sites have given way to housing, as has much of the former heavy end of Llanwern steelworks, which is now occupied by the Glan Llyn estate. However, contrary to claims often made online, steel is not dead in Newport East. Llanwern Steelworks, for example, is still producing world class automotive steel and steel for construction employing hundreds of skilled workers.
The introduction of the UK Government’s Steel Strategy offers protection for those at Llanwern and at places like 7 Steel on Corporation Road – but more than that, it offers hope for the whole industry.
Bold and ambitious, the Strategy sets out a clear aim to boost domestic steel production to meet up to 50 per cent of Britain’s demand (currently, domestically produced steel meets only 30 per cent), strengthening the industry’s role in supporting vital sectors such as infrastructure, defence and clean energy. This is never more important than in today’s deeply uncertain global context.
It also includes a commitment to reduce overall quota levels for steel imports by 60 per cent compared with current arrangements, alongside the introduction of a 50 per cent tariff on steel imports beyond those quotas. From my conversations with steelworkers and the unions, these measures are rightly welcomed.
Recognising the vital role that steel plays in Britain’s national security, infrastructure and wider economy, the Strategy is backed by up to £2.5 billion in funding through the National Wealth Fund. It forms a central part of the UK Labour Government’s strategic approach to supporting British based industries, providing the certainty and long term investment that businesses and workers need in uncertain times.
The Strategy also confirms electric arc furnaces as the future of British steelmaking, committing to the replacement of traditional blast furnaces with modern technology that uses recycled scrap steel and produces far lower carbon emissions, in line with the Government’s net zero goals. To this end, the Strategy also outlines a plan to ensure a reliable supply of high quality scrap.
Crucially, the Strategy recognises that safeguarding the future of steel requires more than investment alone. It places skills, innovation and regional growth at its core, ensuring that communities like ours are not left behind as the industry evolves. By supporting research into new steel technologies and strengthening supply chains across the UK, the Strategy aims to build a resilient, competitive sector capable of thriving in a rapidly changing global market.
These measures, combined with those around energy bills already outlined in the Industrial Strategy and cross departmental work to encourage young people into the industry, enhance this bold and ambitious plan. It recognises steel not as a relic of our past, but as a cornerstone of our future – and with new rail infrastructure, increased defence spending, renewable energy projects, housing growth and the demands of the tech sector as AI expands, British steel sovereignty is as important now as it was at its peak.
Here in Newport East, where steel runs through the DNA of our community, I’m proud that this Labour government is already delivering this Steel Strategy – something the last government failed to do in its 14 years. It represents a clear commitment to protecting skilled jobs, strengthening local industry, and ensuring that steel continues to play a central role in our city’s story for generations to come.
I look forward to working as part of this government to ensure that it fulfils its ambition.
