Tata Steel: UK’s biggest steelworks to cease production after more than 100 years
The UK’s biggest steelworks will cease production today after more than 100 years, leading to thousands of job losses across South Wales.
Blast Furnace 4 – the final furnace operating at Tata Steel’s plant in Port Talbot – will be fully shut down at about 5pm, with the last steel made late on Monday evening.
In an email sent to staff and seen by Sky News, Tata UK’s chief executive Rajesh Nair admitted it would be a “difficult day” of “great emotion and reflection”.
Tata Steel is replacing the furnace with a greener electric arc furnace which will use UK-sourced scrap steel, but that will not be operational until 2028.
The transition will cost £1.25bn, £500m of which is being paid by the British government and will lead to nearly 3,000 job losses, almost 75% of the workforce.
Pic: iStock
Tata Steel said in a statement it was “a significant event in the history of iron and steelmaking in the UK as the legacy steelmaking assets in Port Talbot close, having reached their end of life.”
But it said steelmaking at the site will resume in 2027/2028 thanks to its investment in “low-CO2 ‘green’ steel”, offering a “brighter, greener future”.
The scheme will “sustain more than 5,000 jobs across the UK, and give Tata Steel businesses across the UK a competitive market advantage.”
Unions have battled for months to push back the furnace closure and reduce the number of redundancies.
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community Union which represents most steelworkers at Port Talbot, said it was an “incredibly sad and poignant day” for the British steel industry.
“It’s also a moment of huge frustration – it simply didn’t have to be this way.”
“Last year Community and GMB published a credible alternative plan for Port Talbot which would have ensured a fair transition to green steelmaking and prevented compulsory redundancies. Tata’s decision to reject that plan will go down as an historic missed opportunity,” he added.
Pic: PA
In an email sent to staff last Friday, Tata UK’s chief executive Rajesh Nair said: “Port Talbot has long been associated with the iron and steel industry and the closure of our heavy end operations will be a hugely significant and emotional day for employees – past and present – contractor partners, and the local community.
“While it will of course be a difficult day, it is a necessary step as we transition to a green steel future and secure the legacy of steelmaking at Port Talbot for future generations.”
Read more:
Closure ‘will smash community to pieces’
As well as around 2,800 job losses, many fear there will be a greater number of workers in the wider supply chain impacted.
Today the Welsh government announced that businesses impacted will be able to apply for funding to overcome “short-term challenges” during the transition phase.
Financial support for affected businesses
Secretary of state for Wales and chair of the Transition Board, Jo Stevens, said: “Businesses and workers that supply Tata have been feeling the impact of the changes at Port Talbot for months.
“That’s why I announced this £13.5m fund within weeks of the new UK government coming into office, and have worked at pace with partners in Welsh government and the council to get applications open.
“I encourage affected businesses to come forward and check their eligibility for this financial support, as part of the wider support package we are putting in place. This government will back workers and businesses whatever happens.”
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The giant Port Talbot steelworks will not close completely – it will continue to operate hot and cold strip mills to roll steel slab imported from overseas.
But it is a hugely significant day not only for the UK’s industrial infrastructure, but for a town built on steel that will no longer produce it.
The government announced earlier this month it will publish a strategy for the future of UK steel next spring.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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