Labour resisting pressure to block China from our essential industries despite British Steel fiasco
DOWNING Street is resisting pressure to block China from our essential industries despite the British Steel fiasco.
And the PM’s spokesman even refused to rule out another Chinese owner from taking over the Scunthorpe furnaces.
It comes as the raw materials needed to keep the vital Lincolnshire plant running have been secured by the Government and are due to be transported to the site.
Deputy PM Angela Rayner visited yesterday and said she was confident the Government had the raw materials necessary to keep the furnaces going.
Beijing-based site operator Jingye had been accused of plotting to sabotage the UK industry by secretly ordering the shutdown of our last blast furnaces.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government has warned No10 against “politicising trade co-operation or linking it to security issues”.
Ministers have used emergency powers to seize control of the plant from the company.
The saga has sparked calls for an urgent review of Chinese influence in the UK’s vital infrastructure, including the National Grid, Heathrow Airport and Thames Water.
PM Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman insisted there is already a “rigorous regime for assessing any involvement in critical infrastructure”.
Refusing even to rule out another Chinese owner of British Steel, he added: “I wouldn’t get ahead of commercial negotiations. Our approach, certainly when it comes to China, is rooted in the UK national interest.”
Ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said Beijing needed to be cleared out of British Steel entirely.
He said: “We’re the only country that seems to have taken no action on China. Worse, we’re kissing their backside.”
He also branded Treasury Minister James Murray a buffoon for saying China was not a hostile state.
The minister had said: “I think it’s important to make clear the actions of Jingye don’t speak to the actions of all Chinese companies.”
While conceding Jingye had not acted in good faith, No10 said it was “not aware of any deliberate act of sabotage” by the company.
Downing Street denied Sir Keir’s Net Zero drive had left Britain exposed, despite Energy Secretary Ed Miliband blocking a coal mine opening in Cumbria.
A new shipment of coal from Australia is heading to the UK.