The UK government is about to double the tariffs on imported steel to 50%,and to reduce the tariff free quotas by a massive 60%. This means imported steel will become a lot dearer for all those steel using industries and for construction where they rely on imports. The government is using a Brexit freedom to do this.
The reason I presume they want to make steel so much dearer, raising business costs, is to protect the UK domestic steel industry. This is probably driven by their decision to make the taxpayer pay all the losses on the two remaining UK blast furnaces at Scunthorpe where the government intervened and took over managing these facilities from their Chinese owners. They did so to avoid closure and job losses, without bothering to reach an agreement on the transfer of the assets and the handling of the past debts from the Chinese company. At the time I urged them to sort out ownership and to ensure the UK would not be liable for past losses, for past debts, or have to pay any compensation on the transfer. When I last asked Ministers about how they are getting on sorting out the ownership and debt issues they declined to give details but acknowledged it remains a set of problems they are discussing with the owners. There are reports the Chinese are asking for compensation.
The most recent figure for the losses is £1.3m a day at Scunthorpe, well up on the reported losses at the time of the transfer of management. The payments for these losses are state aid, and would require EU consent if we were still in the EU or if we realign this sector under re set. The government needs to present a Business Plan with numbers to Parliament, as this is becoming a large commitment of public spending.
They also need to explain what their longer term plan is. They seemed to be pledged to close all blast furnaces as they burn coal, and substitute electric arc steel recycling. If this is also still the plan for Scunthorpe, when do they expect to close the blast furnaces? How long do they think they can and should keep these jobs given the loss rate and the longer term plan? There is of course a case to keep blast furnaces in the UK rather than importing virgin steel, but to do so economically requires a very different approach to energy provision and costs.
What impact will the new steel tariff and quota regime have on the losses at Scunthorpe? Will it make a big difference? Will Scunthorpe be able to sell more steel as a result? What is the estimated impact on the rest of UK industry and construction from dearer steel? The government’s attempt to save jobs could prove very costly to taxpayers, could end in the loss of the jobs, and could in the meantime just push up costs for steel users.
May 2, 2026
One mistake leads to another.
On Saturdays, people often shout ‘you don’t know what you’re doing!’ at bad referees.
Maybe the government does know what it is doing, but it is of no concern to them.
May 2, 2026
If they do know what they are doing they are clearly enemies of the UK as they are wrecking it. Either appallingly stupid or evil – take your pick. Perhaps most evil is the destruction of jobs for the young that they have caused with their doom loop agenda.
May 2, 2026
”The government needs to present a Business Plan with numbers to Parliament,..” Who in government could do this? Are there any businessmen in the CS? We know there are none in the Labour party. Who would make an investment decision based on CS business analysis numbers? The Great Central Main line remake is a good case study.
Here’s a bit of fun; look at the parallels of Starmer and May. Both brought down by Ollie Robbins, both wanted a ‘special deal’ with the EU, both think stopping fossil fuels will be good economic planning. May replaced by a court jester in the form of Bunter, Starmer may well be replaced by Rayner. There’s more but you get the picture.
May 2, 2026
Indeed but almost all the MPs of all parties were for Ed insane Climate Change Act and nodded through May’s moronic Net Zero. No sensible cost benefit was even done. About 75% of MPs were for remaining in the EU before the referendum (and few really changed their minds).
Politics seem to appeal, in the main, to left wing, we know best, innumerate and irrational art graduates, politics of envy, power seeking and often religious people too. The people who aspire to it are so often totally unsuitable. They also get driven by vested interest groups who work against the interest of the people to profit. Even the parties that claim not to be left wing deliver big state socialism in practice? A few notable exceptions perhaps (10% or so at best) who are sensible, have a working compass and are honest.
May 2, 2026
JR says “They seemed to be pledged to close all blast furnaces as they burn coal, and substitute electric arc steel recycling.” What is wrong with burning a bit of coal far cheaper and more efficient than using wind or solar electricity. Plus we life in a current dearth of CO2 the gas of life. Also the imported steel will be from Coal fired furnaces anyway. Miliband is clearly mad or evil!
May 2, 2026
There must be elections due. Trying to buy a few votes in Scunthorpe. Tariffs will soon be dropped after they get wiped out because destruction of the steel industry is part of mad Eds agenda. The steelwork could be rationalised at no cost as distressed assets but our dear leader wouldn’t want to upset his handlers.
May 2, 2026
09 March 2020 The Chinese Jingye Group concludes the purchase of both Scunthorpe and Teesside steelworks.
Please remind me who was in charge of the UK Government at the time?
Reply The problem was not the sale to the highest bidder but the idiotic idea of taking over management from them without securing the plant in state ownership first. I recommended as the Chinese wanted to close the plant taking it back for £1 and no debts, saving the Chinese the redundancy liabilities. There was a deal to be done.
May 2, 2026
To reply:- indeed a deal to be done but they are not business people and even if they were it is not their money they are spending or wasting. The state sector is dire at running things and dire at subcontracting things and forming sensible contract that deliver for the tax payers. Not their money nor they who get the value – so what do they care? Often “consultancy” payments, vested interests and even outright corruption is involved.
May 2, 2026
Indeed.
Sir Mark Rowley is right to point out the stupidity of Zak Polanski’s foolish retweet and he is right to have apologised. But the real problem is blatant Two Tier Justice from people like Sir Kier Starmer, Sir Sadiq Kahn, the sentencing council, much of the legal profession all now DEI “educated” and people like the journalist’s microphone grabbing Sir Mark Rowley who has done almost nothing to deter blatant Anti-Semitism.
May 2, 2026
Keir Starmer has condemned Zack Polanski as “disgraceful” and unfit to head a political party. Correct but does he think he himself is fit to be a minister? Or indeed nearly any of his dire Cabinet are.
May 2, 2026
The Government isn’t rescuing Scunthorpe Steel, it’s just delaying closure for political reasons.
The Establishment’s Net Zero Insanity, enthusiastically promoted until very recently by the Not-a-Conservative Party and now being turbo-charged by Red Ed, is going to destroy all industrial manufacturing. And that appears to have been the plan all along.
May 2, 2026
Sadly true ….the policy of one man ….one man …..the new net-zero policies are far beyond those in their manifesto
May 2, 2026
Everyone to be issued a chinese bicycle ….in the name of net-zero
May 2, 2026
Cycling is powered by human food which is a hugely inefficient fuel that needs vast amount of fossil fuels, fertilisers, tractors, harvesting, driers, packaging, canning, freezing, butchering, cooking to get any energy to the pedals. The government claims on web sites that walking and cycling produce no CO2 direct or indirect. This is completely wrong (a blatant lie I assume). A small car taking 4 people say is hugely more efficient in CO2 than four cyclists & four walkers is even worse still if you do the CO2 maths.
Not that a bit more CO2 is even a problem of course!
May 2, 2026
My point is that the policy of net-zero is ‘communism’ …..little choice and fully controlled by central government
May 2, 2026
Indeed Glen,
Jacob Rees-Mogg has a good videos on the latest luancy from Ed the banning on tumble dryers other than heat pump ones. Government know best socialism.
The people who know best are usually the people closest to the coal face not some nutters in goverment. For some the most complex, less reliable and more expensive dryers might make sense is they use them a lot but for others no the case. Let the market decide Ed Miliband and get lost! Either Ed you are bonkers, or you hate Britain or you are on the make or a combination of the three. Any other options?
May 2, 2026
I bought a chinese made bicycle once for my daughter, lasted about 3 years before rusting away. Luckily she’d lost interest in cycling by then.
May 2, 2026
Net-0 is starting to explode even more into our lives in a very real fashion.
Can anyone justify that irrationality?
That is small fry compared to what is now formulated.
They want us to stop importing anything!
In other news there is no light on the horizon.
Once gone they will be very hard to resurrect.
It just gets worse and worse!
May 3, 2026
The tumble dryer ban is so that we will be complying with EU Regulations ….. imposed on NI via the Windsor Treachery and therefore in the rest of the UK so that the Establishment doesn’t have to admit the truth …. we have never LEFT the EU.
Oh and Red Ed is an enthusiastic Net Zero communist who enjoys imposing his diktats on the population.
May 2, 2026
It’s a decent holding pattern until a Reform government reduces energy costs and reintroduces indigenous energy sources. Probably common sense for a change, but they need a handover plan as well as a business plan.
May 2, 2026
It will take them many years to turn things around even if we do get a sensible government with a decent majority after three more years of Labour’s evil scorched earth agenda.
I will be dead or nearly dead by the time we see it – if we even do see it!
May 2, 2026
All questions any well run Busibess would be asking. But the Left hand of this Government doesn’t even know there is a Right hand – and probably would’nt work with it if it did.
If Starmer clings on then there may be a faint chance he’ll get rid of Millibrain but I’m not holding my breath…
May 2, 2026
two things instantly come to mind.
1, reverse the situation maliciously created to ban UK production of quality steel. It is ridiculous that we now import the steel we need for defence and infrastructure from the EU. How bizarre is it for a UK Government not to be able to build submarines unless the French Government approves. For ever hostage to the changing political will outside of the UK jurisdiction.
2, find a way that it is the management, the workers at Scunthorpe that get to own their business their livelihood. A UK Parliament just pumping UK Taxpayer money in, takes the security of the business no where – just request for more taxpayer money. The UK Parliament its Government cant organise themselves, to suggest they could run a business is a ridiculous dream – its a nightmare.
May 2, 2026
What a stupid socialist policy. Driven of course by the stupid net zero policy which makes it impossible to operate a steel business in the UK on normal market terms. A case study in what’s wrong in the UK.
May 2, 2026
Explains a lot…
Sir Keir Starmer’s niece is standing in the local elections in Croydon, one of the safest wards in London. (Labour say she was fairly selected by the usual procedures Ed)
(there are allegations that some existing Labour Councillors were blocked from standing again ed)
Concerns around cronyism (generally Ed) emerged shortly after Sir Keir assumed power in July 2024. He has promoted several people connected to him or married to those connected to him.
Starmer sold himself on far more than competence. He sold his Labour government as a purification ritual and himself as a Hercules, sent to cleanse the Augean stables of British politics. “Drain the swamp” was the populist slogan of a demagogue, we were told at the time; is it meaningfully different to Starmer’s statement that; “Every day there’s more sleaze, it stinks”. The messenger might be different, but the message is the same. ( Artillery Row, By Tom Jones 7 February, 2026)
Starmer contradicts himself hourly he is intolerant, (is in danger of creating? ed) division and hate as a means of forcing his very personal narrative on the nation. The situations arising every where in society are as a result of people following the PM’s lead, if you are not with him you are a hated extremist. Socialism is first foremost about creating hate and division the PM is achieving his goal and getting his disciples out on the street etc
Reply The PM does not want to create violence or lawlessness. He sees his one sided view of orality and law as right, and needs to learn to understand why so many law abiding hard working people are alarmed by his policies and the growing gap between what he wants and what is happening.
May 2, 2026
If Two Tier does not want to create violence and lawlessness then he is doing a very good impressions of someone who does!
May 2, 2026
“The government needs to present a Business Plan with numbers to Parliament” neither government or parliament know what business is. Business is just a go to money pool for tax. The concept of more tax in coming from the fact businesses are allowed to grow and expand in the UK i.e. if the earn more, more tax is paid – is lost on Parliament and this Government. Business is just a money tree then the contradiction Parliament expels it from the UK.
Even today parliament is not seeing what ‘they’ on their own are doing. Tax the rich, the profitable, more and then welfare can be expanded. Today what they thought yesterday was the rich, the profitable is just their every day folk trying to get through another week. There was never some magic pool of money outside just the ordinary folk, the pensioner trying to get by. They have killed business, killed enterprise, killed the economy, the killed wealth creation and they still don’t get it. Parliament, its Government are the ones that when they didn’t ban things removed money from the economy, so there is less of it in the economy and they still don’t get it. Parliament/Government still think them spending money on the none productive is them creating an economy.
The people need releasing from this Parliament. Parliaments control freakery is killing all of us.
May 2, 2026
That come back to ‘Brexit Freedoms’ Parliament banned the UK leaving the EU’s control opting to make the UK a colony of the EU.
May 2, 2026
Other see it as it is as well…
ANDREW NEIL: In a democracy we get the politicians we deserve. Until we give up our predilection for anti-wealth creation, anti-enterprise and anti-success quick fixes… things WILL get worse before they get better
May 2, 2026
Part of problem is education (as LL says).
Millions of people are literally drummed into an educational mindset that academic = good even though most academic subjects are irrelevant to your job, don’t make you think creatively or like an entrepreneur, don’t bring job satisfaction and puts one into the mindset of mediocrity.
Unless you training to become a doctor, engineer, lawyer, scientist or priest you don’t even have to go to university! Far better would be to ensure you brilliant at English Comprehension and Writing (which you can best learn alone), learn to think logically (doesn’t take long), basic Maths, and read a classic book on general subjects and that’s it. Then you’re ready for the work place. Much better would be to sell printers than go to university. Much better to join the army than go to university. Much better to travel the world a bit than go to university. Much better to do short, useful practical courses than go to university.
May 2, 2026
The manufacture of virgin steel is an essential industry for an independent nation. But no one is surprised that this Labour Government has no clue what to do with Scunthorpe. Any sensible government would, by now, have a proper business plan prepared and ready to go.
But while they are blinded by the worship of Net Zero, no business can survive.
How, when we have two wars going on, can they bury their heads in the sand and not dramatically increase the size of the defence budget? Virgin steel is essential for tanks, Artillery, ships, and Planes. So there should be plenty of business for a properly run UK steelworks with blast furnaces.
This shambles of a government is like a blind man trying to walk on a tightrope. It is a case of when, not if, the crash comes!
May 2, 2026
Today in the media ‘Keir Starmer warns voters they must prepare for inflation spike caused by Iran and says Britain must be ‘much closer to the EU”
Its another lie, but keeps saying it. His hatred for the UK and its people knows no bounds. The inflation situation is majoriy caused by Parliaments fight and hate for the Nation and its People. We have another 3 years of this vidictive hate
May 2, 2026
2TK also insisted he would be judged at the end of his term in office not after the election results, which are expected to be catastrophic for Labour, leading to calls for him to stand down
Doubters thinking an election would change this man, must never forget his ‘Plan’
May 2, 2026
Full report https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15784595/Keir-Starmer-warns-inflation-spike-Iran-Britain-closer-EU.html
May 2, 2026
50 ‘illegal immigrants’ invaded the UK yesterday 1st May 2026 …
May 2, 2026
Minister for Climate Katie White confirmed the move in a letter to Transport Select Committee chair Ruth Cadbury.
The statutory instrument brings international aviation and shipping emissions into line with existing planning assumptions and ensures they are counted alongside other sectors in the UK’s net-zero framework through to 2050. https://www.edie.net/uk-to-include-aviation-and-shipping-in-future-carbon-budgets/
As we have no control over international and shipping, all this means that we will have to cut emissions even further domestically.
May 2, 2026
“They seemed to be pledged to close all blast furnaces as they burn coal, and substitute electric arc steel recycling.”
They simply want to close down our ability to make virgin steel and increase our dependency upon Chinese imports. They know that burning coal doesn’t affect the climate and are simply using anthropogenic CO2 emissions and a non-existent climate crisis based upon false modelling as a way to con the deluded into destroying our energy, industry and national security. Climate history shows no correlation between temperature and CO2 and water vapour is by far the biggest green house gas. CO2 is a trace gas at 0.04% of the atmosphere and is needed by all plants, and hence all life on the planet, to survive. Net Zero is another suicidal cult.