Liberty Speciality Steel has collapsed into administration after a winding-up petition in the High Court, placing one of the UK's most strategically important steelmaking businesses under government control. The South Yorkshire-based company, which employs around 1,450 people, will now be managed by special officials appointed by the Government's Official Receiver. Liberty Speciality Steel supplies high-grade steel products to critical sectors including aerospace, defence, power generation, oil and gas, and rail.
Ministers have lined up special managers to run Liberty Steel's South Yorkshire operations if they are put into administration, according to a dramatic revelation at London's high court. The development shows the government is ready to step in immediately to secure the continued operations of the Speciality Steel UK (SSUK), which employs 1,450 people at the group's operations at an electric arc furnace in Rotherham and another plant in Stocksbridge, both in South Yorkshire.
The strategy outlines a clear set of interventions that break with economic orthodoxy by re-establishing the government as investor of first resort, risk absorber and catalyst of structural transformation.
"This is an attempt to rewrite history, whitewash history. Eliminate the stories of critical contributors to history," said Dennis Arguelles with the National Parks Conservation Association.
Fifteen Labour MPs rebelled against the government on Monday night to back an amendment by Labour's Chris Hinchliff to the planning and infrastructure bill that would have imposed new environmental obligations.
The government has intervened in the planning of two major reservoir projects in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, transferring authority to ensure efficient construction amidst water supply concerns.
Being here and seeing the youth here, the youth hockey players that came out tonight, seeing their gratitude because this place was at risk of being closed down.