Harlow MP Chris Vince attends parliament in emergency session on steel industry
News / Sun 13th Apr 2025 at 07:35am
HARLOW MP Chris Vince took his seat in the House of Commons in an emergency sitting in order to “save our steel industry”.
Here are his reflections:
Mr Vince said:
“As many people will know, Parliament was recalled this Saturday as a bill was passed through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to save our steel industry. This is a clear example of the Labour government standing up for British steel and doing what’s right for our country’s security.
This comes in the same week that new neighbourhood police officers are being deployed to our streets, new GPs are helping to reduce waiting times, and investment in our bus services is leading to more frequent buses. Even the most hardened Labour cynic must recognise that these are examples of Labour’s plan for change in action.
Meanwhile, it was interesting to see some Conservative MPs – including one former Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith – criticise their own government’s decision to sell the Scunthorpe steelworks to a Chinese company when they were in power. I also took the opportunity to point out that the Redcar steelworks closed under their watch.
The Labour government, in stark contrast, is standing up for the UK steel industry – steel that will be used not only in the defence sector but also in the construction industry. Only recently, I visited British Offsite, a local business that uses steel in the construction of the new homes we so vitally need.
“After 14 wasted years, this Labour government is investing not only in our public services, but in our industry too”.
Seamus
2025-04-13 09:30:33
I wasn't aware we had a steel industry in Harlow or even the company British offsite, based in Braintree, now had Mr Vince as their mp? I notice he made no mention that the tax payer is being told that they must support a private company that is losing £750,000 a day. This at the same time pensioners are being told you can't have your winter allowance, waspi women they can't have their pensions, those who provide food security will see more close farms and now they are going afyer the disabled and vulnerable. Still he'll do as his told, vote against his constituents. The only positive mr vince offers as the Harlow mp is that he is 9 months closer to being kicked out as Harlow mp as he clearly see's his actual constituents as an inconvenience.
Janice
2025-04-13 10:42:21
Seamus, if you were aware to what extent we taxpayers subsidise Non-UK resident foreign UK landowners, you might have a little less sympathy for them and a bit more for the steelworkers who are on the verge of losing their jobs. If we are going to continue to give handouts to so many, we are going to need some people to work to pay for them.
Guy Flegman
2025-04-13 10:45:18
The real question that needs asking. Is why it was allowed to be sold to the Chinese in the first place? It was beyond obvious that they would shut it down, as they are a competitor and want us buying Chinese steel and not producing our own.
Adam
2025-04-13 13:36:06
Net Zero was introduced by the Conservatives and has been maintained by the current government, leading to some of the highest energy prices in the world—despite the fact that climate change, in my view, is a fiction. Meanwhile, we’ve sold off strategic national infrastructure to a communist foreign country—arguably an adversary of the UK. Now, unsurprisingly, it’s become too expensive to operate, and it’s being shut down. Once again, we’re witnessing a crisis entirely of the government’s own making, followed by a panicked attempt to fix it. Frankly, both major parties are led by people who are completely out of their depth.
Seamus
2025-04-14 06:40:36
Janice I'm pretty sure I never mentioned subsidising Non-UK resident foreign UK landowners, could you show me where I have? Of course you can have empathy for the steelworkers for what will be inevitable. The facts do not change however. This is a business that no other business wants to touch with a barge pole as it's losing £750,000 per day. The government has now forced this business onto the tax payer and of course you can't rule out the local elections in that area about to happen in the next few weeks. As keen as the government are on spending tax payers money one minute and telling the same tax payers that it isn't there for manifesto promises, Labour have appeased the unions but even wastefull labour won't be able to keep subsidising this steel works forever.
Kim
2025-04-14 08:36:40
Chris vince, let's see if your labour party can keep them a light first... Chris, why did your labour party turn there backs on port Talbot.? Wasn't to worried about there jobs, were they.. Yes we need to keep our steel industry, but if ever, we ever need to use steel urgently, we are going to at least need two of theses industry s..
Kim
2025-04-14 08:39:51
And just to add, I would rather pay a little more tax on steel, than all the nonsense this labour party are making up. Steel is very important.
Guy flegman
2025-04-15 06:56:21
If you believe in net zero then think about this. If the planet is threatened by carbon emissions then how are we saving the planet by reducing our emissions to zero by exporting our carbon emissions to china and India where they produces our goods at an increased carbon emmision so overall we are increasing carbon emissions. If carbon was a problem surely we would produce as much as possible here using our low carbon processes as while this would increase the UK carbon emissions it would reduce global carbon emissions. Clearly we have been lied to
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