LABOUR is the "party for steelworkers", Nepwort East MP Jessica Morden has declared following a steely meeting with union representatives from Llanwern.

Speaking with shadow steel minister Sarah Jones MP at the party's annual conference, the group voiced their concerns around the UK Government’s deal with Tata, which employs thousands of workers in Port Talbot and Llanwern.

“It was good to catch up with Community representatives at Labour Party conference, including Reg and Jackie from Tata’s Llanwern plant," said Ms Morden.

“In the roundtable meeting with Sarah Jones, there was agreement that an electric arc-only future is not the solution to the challenges our steel industry faces."

Electric arc furnaces have been touted as a greener, less energy-intensive alternative to the coal-fired blast alternatives.

Tata has praised the UK Government’s grant for securing a “sustainable future” for the Port Talbot site at the cost of about 3,000 jobs.

The MP for Newport East said the peril in Port Talbot was the result of “years of inaction” from the Conservative government.

In response, industry minister Nusrat Ghani said the agreement with Tata was “good news”, adding that a transition board would be set up to address any difficulties.

‘Bad deal for steel’

Returning from the party conference in Liverpool, Ms Morden said: “At the meeting, Sarah reiterated Labour’s pledge to deliver a long-term plan for Green Steel, including a £3 billion investment through a National Wealth Fund."

Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss added: “As a union, we’ll continue to work closely with shadow ministers to secure change to the bad deal for steel that the government have struck with Tata.

“It’s clear an electric arc-only approach is short-sighted and all options should be on the table.

“Labour is the party for steelworkers. We’ve seen this clearly with the commitments the party has set out for game-changing investment in our industry.”