China is a threat to everything we do, MP warns Downing St

CHINA is a threat to “everything we do”, a leading MP warned last night, as demands grew for the Government to block Chinese investment in the UK’s critical infrastructure.

- By Steph Spyro

It came after allegations of sabotage at British Steel by Chinese executives, who have been accused of trying to close the Scunthorpe works and force the UK to buy cheap Chinese imports.

Downing Street yesterday refused to rule out further Chinese involvement in British Steel despite ministers being forced to take emergency control of the North Lincolnshire plant from its owner Jingye.

But former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned yesterday that China was a threat to “everything that we do”. He added: “If they had shut the blast furnace, what they would have done is imported slab steel from China which they would have rebadged as British steel to sell it.

Supplies

“It would not be high quality steel. It wouldn’t have been virgin steel but a much lower quality.”

Officials are scrambling to ensure there are enough materials — such as coking coal and iron ore - to keep the site running.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds travels to the Port of Immingham today, where supplies have been waiting to be unloaded and transported to Scunthorpe.

The materials, from the US, are said to be enough to keep the two blast furnaces running for the coming weeks.

Another ship which contains more coking coal and iron ore is on the way to the UK from Australia.

Mr Reynolds said: “Thanks to the work of those at British Steel and in my department we have moved decisively to secure the raw materials we need to help save British Steel.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited the Scunthorpe plant yesterday to speak with staff.

She said they were “confident” the paid-for raw materials at Immingham would be delivered in time to keep the furnaces operational.