Britain’s government has entered the steel industry with no plan
Even its strongest argument, national security, needs closer scrutiny
THE TONE has been breathless and nostalgic. On April 12th MPs were recalled from their Easter recess, a move typically reserved for wars and other national crises, to prevent the closure of the country’s last remaining blast furnaces, operated by British Steel, nowadays a Chinese-owned firm. There were stirring speeches about the country’s industrial heritage and excitable accusations of foreign sabotage. At one point the Royal Navy was “on alert” to escort fuel shipments. By April 15th Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, who had gone to direct action from the Scunthorpe steelworks, could reassure a restless nation that he had “secured the raw materials to save British Steel”.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Steelmanning ”
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