Liberal Democrats on Redcar & Cleveland Council reacted with great disappointment to the news that 1700 jobs are to be lost following SSI’s halting of its steelmaking at Redcar blast furnace.

Lib Dem Council Group Leader Councillor Josh Mason said:

“This is truly heartbreaking for the area, and especially for the families of those losing their jobs. The job losses will have a huge knock-on effect for local businesses and the council.

“The council stands to lose an enormous amount of money in lost business rates. This affects the entire community.

“Many people believe that the Tories simply do not care about our area. They now have a chance to show that they do care by ensuring that they give the council the money it needs to support the families hit by this decision and to carry on providing services without a big hit on its income.”

Former MP Ian Swales said:

“The Government needs to do all it can to support the community and to try to find a buyer with enough resources to get through the tough times.

“What is often forgotten is that Redcar is still a very good steel plant, capable of high quality production. With the right buyer it could again live up to its potential.”