Tata Steel: Ministers confirm £500m subsidy

In a joint statement, Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss and Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB, said: “Back in November last year, Community and GMB published the Multi-Union Plan, an alternative approach that would have safeguarded Port Talbot steelmaking and secured a just transition for the workforce.

“Regretfully we couldn’t secure the support of all stakeholders for our credible alternative decarbonisation strategy, and ultimately the company rejected the basis of our proposals, representing a tragic missed opportunity.

“Under the circumstances representatives of all the steel unions resolved to negotiate the best possible deal, and then put it to a ballot of the membership. This is what we have done, and voting is underway.”

The Conservatives accused Labour of raising false hope that a better deal was on offer, and said the government had finally realised the Tories had done their best to save steelmaking.

Recently retired steelworker Huw Samuel said the upcoming closure of the second blast furnace will signal the end of an era.

“We did foresee the decarbonisation of the industry. However, I don’t think any of us would have predicted how quickly Tata would have made a decision and decided to shut down the coke ovens,” he said.