Keir Starmer has pledged to do “everything we can” to preserve jobs at the Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales.
In a two-day visit to the country, the Prime Minister has met with new First Minister Eluned Morgan and visited an onshore windfarm in Carmarthenshire to promote the government’s efforts to bring down bills through green energy.
Tata Steel, which owns the steelworks in the Welsh town, closed a blast furnace last month, with plans to shut the second by the end of next month.
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Speaking to the press during his visit, Keir Starmer said he “working really hard” to support steelworkers.
He said: “We’re working really hard on this, both the First Minister and myself jointly on this, because it’s so important that we do everything we can to preserve those jobs.
“We were working on this when I was in opposition – we’ve turbocharged that since we’ve been in power.
“We’ve been able to put some money down just in the last week or so, particularly with the supply chain side of it, but we will do everything we can to preserve those jobs.”
The government announced last week an initial £13.5m in funding to support supply chain businesses and workers affected by Tata Steel’s plans to transition to greener steelmaking.
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