Fears over South Yorkshire steel after Brexit

There are fears voting to leave the EU could deepen the crisis surrounding South Yorkshire's steel industry.

A buyer's still being sought for TATA Steel's entire UK operation - including the plants at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

But after Britain voted to leave the EU last week, there are worries bidders for the plants could pull out with uncertainty around Britain's trade relations with Europe.

Angela Smith, the Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, told Hallam she's really concerned:

"There is a real risk now that we will see investment decisions made by big manufacturers going elsewhere, and not being located here in the UK. Manufacturers are hard-headed: they have to make their own investment decisions according to where they get the greatest access to trading markets. The European Mainland is going to offer huge advantages".

Britain voted to leave the EU by a margin of 52% to 48% on Thursday. The voter turnout was 72%, higher than at the last General Election.

Angela's urging the country to take measures to mitigate market concerns as a result of the vote:

"Any damage done to the economy of course is permanent. There is the potential for job losses, but we've got to start to think positively about this. We've got to start to focus on the things we can do to avoid economic damage and instability".

But some believe that the steel industry can thrive outside the EU.

Darren Webster works at the Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants for TATA, and says that trade will still take place with other countries:

"I can't see it (Brexit) being a total negative. There's a lot of people saying there are lots of negatives, but what did we actually get out of the EU as a steel industry?"

"We export to America, China and places outside the EU. Why should it worry us too much? We trade with everyone else...we trade across the world".

Darren says both the EU and Parliament has let down the steel industry in the past:

"When we went down to Brussels and the House of Commons everyone sort of hide behind the EU as the reason why they couldn't do something to help with tariffs"

"Brussels has let us down a little bit, and being outside (the EU) our Government now can't hide behind anyone else".

A spokesman for TATA Steel told Hallam:

"The strategic review of our business continues. Like businesses across the UK, parties involved will be considering implications for the referendum. We remain committed to working towards the best possible outcome for the UK business".

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