Fury at Liberty Steel plans to cut 440 jobs - including 185 in Rotherham

The firm said it was reducing production in the town as part of a range of cuts which could impact up to 440 roles.

Jeffrey Kabel, chief transformation officer for LIBERTY Steel Group, said the firm had put £200m into the business over the last two years but cuts were still necessary.He added: “While our action is expected to regrettably impact the roles of some of our workforce, we will provide a level of guaranteed salary and out placement opportunities through our unique Workforce Solutions programme as an alternative to redundancy.”

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said the announcement meant 185 redundancies at Liberty Steel in Rotherham and blamed government.

She said: “I am sickened and beyond angry that a decade of failure from the Conservative Government on steel has led us to the point where 185 Rotherham and Sheffield steel workers face losing their livelihoods. It is not just 185 jobs, it is 185 families, the businesses in the supply chain and the economic identity of our town.“Rotherham steel workers have been abandoned to their fate by a Government that has never understood the importance of our steel industry or made any effort to develop its enormous potential. There are simple steps the Government could have taken to prevent this; buy British steel for Government projects, provide competitive energy costs and address punitive business rates. Europe supports its steel industry – why won’t this Government?

“For ten years I’ve told the Government what needed to happen to ensure our steel industry could thrive. They have done nothing, and it is Rotherham families who will pay the price for their negligence.”

Liberty also confirmed it had halted the sale of the Stocksbridge and Brinsworth plants which had been affected by Covid lockdowns.

A spokesman said: “The steps laid out by LIBERTY will forge a viable way forward for the business, provide a safety net to affected employees and help safeguard jobs in LIBERTY’s wider workforce of 1,900 permanent employees, and up to 5,000 including contractors.”