Politics

Nigel Farage Clashes with Rachel Reeves over Scunthorpe Steel Lifeline Claim

Published on June 13, 2025

Nigel Farage wasn’t having any of it when Rachel Reeves took credit for saving British Steel during her Spending Review speech this week. As the Chancellor proudly told MPs that Labour had stepped in to rescue the Scunthorpe steelworks, the Reform UK leader hit back with a loud interjection: “That was us!”

Reeves didn’t skip a beat. She fired back: “It wasn’t the action of that metal trader but of this Labour government,” making it crystal clear she wasn’t giving Farage any credit for the move, reported the Express.

The fiery exchange came as Reeves laid out Labour’s plans to support British industry, promising more investment in steelworks like the one in Scunthorpe and in manufacturing across the country. She pointed to big new infrastructure projects that would use home-grown steel, including Heathrow’s third runway, which is now signed up to a UK steel charter, committing to use British materials.

Military upgrades, rail networks and tramlines are also all set to be built using steel produced on British soil, according to Reeves, in a push to revitalise the sector and protect long-term jobs.

Just last month, British Steel announced it was hiring again for the first time since the Government stepped in to help keep it afloat. The move came as a welcome boost after months of uncertainty surrounding the future of the Scunthorpe site.

The company confirmed it’s preparing to ramp up production and is recruiting more than 180 new workers. It’s a big moment for the steelworks, as they gear up to run both blast furnaces and significantly increase iron and steel output over the coming months.

In a statement, the company said it had secured the raw materials needed to maintain a two-blast furnace operation at Scunthorpe, which should help boost confidence in the future of the plant and the local economy.

Jobs are being advertised across a range of levels, including professional, skilled and non-skilled roles at British Steel’s sites in Scunthorpe, Teesside and Skinningrove. It marks a positive shift for an industry that’s often felt on shaky ground and a welcome injection of optimism for workers in the area.

Despite the political wrangling between Farage and Reeves, the bigger picture is that British Steel appears to be on the up. Whether it was Labour’s intervention or not, the site is back to hiring and preparing for bigger output, and that’s good news for towns like Scunthorpe that rely heavily on the industry.

The row in Parliament may have made headlines, but for the people on the ground, it’s the jobs and future security that really matter. Whether you side with the Chancellor or the Reform leader, there’s no denying the sight of steelworkers heading back to work is something the country can get behind.

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