SSI "Won't Exist" By The End Of This Week
That's according to Labour MP for Middlesbrough South East and Cleveland Tom Blenkinsopp.
He's called for them to ‘get out of the way’ in the fight to Save Steelmaking on Teesside
Commenting after a meeting of the Steel Task Force, Tom Blenkinsop, Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Steel, has called on SSI UK to step aside to hasten the efforts to protect the Redcar blast furnace.
Tom said:
I doubt that SSI UK will exist by the end of the week, they have massive debts and are unable to pay energy and resource suppliers.
I’m calling on SSI UK, and their banking creditors, to get out of the way and allow the transfer of all the on-site assets, including the blast furnace and coke ovens, so they can be successfully mothballed and allow the site to be secured so that we have a fighting chance for steelmaking to return to Redcar in the future.
I am hopeful that Anna Soubry, the Steel Minister, can persuade the government to fast track the administration of SSI UK and work with the local workforce, trade unions and businesses to ensure that we have the capability to restart steelmaking in Redcar if an appropriate buyer is found.
The government must also act quickly to make sure there is a much needed retention package for the area to allow the workforce, and subcontractors, to receive the money they are owed and minimise the damaging economic impact which will affect the area.
This plan may still not work and we have to be honest that time; and SSI’s deliberate silence has not helped at all. But even so, this is our best chance to retain our Teesside steel making assets.”