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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/apr/01/tata-steel-crisis-uk-ringleader-china-sajid-javid-port-talbot-live
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| Tata steel crisis: Business secretary Sajid Javid has 'very productive' meetings - live | Tata steel crisis: Business secretary Sajid Javid has 'very productive' meetings - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.15pm BST | |
| 15:15 | |
| GMB: Tories want to get into in bed with communist China | |
| Tim Roache, general secretary of the GMB union, has thrown the (red?) book at David Cameron for blocking higher tariffs to prevent Chinese steel imports. | |
| “Never in our wildest dreams did we consider that the Tory Party would allow the Chinese Communist party to dictate the fate of vital industries like steel and energy in the UK..... | |
| “There was a time when the Tories sought to root out the reds under the bed. Now they want to get into bed with them.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.15pm BST | |
| 2.58pm BST | |
| 14:58 | |
| Quite a crowd now: | |
| This is the demo awaiting Sajid Javid after his talks with Tata and unions in Port Talbot: pic.twitter.com/W1n19CmhST | |
| 2.45pm BST | 2.45pm BST |
| 14:45 | 14:45 |
| Workers are continuing to gather outside the building in Port Talbot where business secretary Sajid Javid is meeting with managers: | Workers are continuing to gather outside the building in Port Talbot where business secretary Sajid Javid is meeting with managers: |
| Video: Staff at the Port Talbot #TataSteel plant waiting outside of SoS Sajid Javid's meeting with bosses pic.twitter.com/pFQ4V7P2Oi | Video: Staff at the Port Talbot #TataSteel plant waiting outside of SoS Sajid Javid's meeting with bosses pic.twitter.com/pFQ4V7P2Oi |
| 2.43pm BST | 2.43pm BST |
| 14:43 | 14:43 |
| We’ve gathered together the views of people who live in and around Port Talbot, as they watch their steel industry fight for survival. | We’ve gathered together the views of people who live in and around Port Talbot, as they watch their steel industry fight for survival. |
| It’s a sobering read, and a vital reminder of how crucial steel is to the area. | It’s a sobering read, and a vital reminder of how crucial steel is to the area. |
| Kristian Watts, who works in Tata Steel’s energy department, explains that the town would ‘crumble’ if the industry shuts down: | Kristian Watts, who works in Tata Steel’s energy department, explains that the town would ‘crumble’ if the industry shuts down: |
| I’ve lived in Port Talbot all my life. The steel works employs not only so many of my friends, but also my family. It means everything to not only Port Talbot, but West Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan and beyond. I know lads who travel from Ebbw Vale, Newport, Swansea, Neath and even Haverfordwest. This industry is everything to South Wales. | I’ve lived in Port Talbot all my life. The steel works employs not only so many of my friends, but also my family. It means everything to not only Port Talbot, but West Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan and beyond. I know lads who travel from Ebbw Vale, Newport, Swansea, Neath and even Haverfordwest. This industry is everything to South Wales. |
| Without it, the town would crumble. It’s the smaller things people don’t realise will be affected. Like paper shops, supermarkets, small businesses that rely on trade from workers from the plant. Without jobs to provide money for bills and mortgages, the workers would have to rely on the council for accommodation and benefits, which is already very high in this part of Wales. | Without it, the town would crumble. It’s the smaller things people don’t realise will be affected. Like paper shops, supermarkets, small businesses that rely on trade from workers from the plant. Without jobs to provide money for bills and mortgages, the workers would have to rely on the council for accommodation and benefits, which is already very high in this part of Wales. |
| My message to the government would be to take a look at what they have created by not lowering business rates and allowing the Chinese to dump massive amounts of steel without having to pay a great deal of tax. If they aren’t careful, they will have a economic crisis on they’re hands and they have only themselves to blame. | My message to the government would be to take a look at what they have created by not lowering business rates and allowing the Chinese to dump massive amounts of steel without having to pay a great deal of tax. If they aren’t careful, they will have a economic crisis on they’re hands and they have only themselves to blame. |
| Tata’s Indian owners cannot be blamed – they pumped a huge amount of money into the works and for what they were asking for in help seemed a small penny compared to what it’s going to cost the government in the long run. | Tata’s Indian owners cannot be blamed – they pumped a huge amount of money into the works and for what they were asking for in help seemed a small penny compared to what it’s going to cost the government in the long run. |
| Here’s the full piece, by my colleague Elena Cresci: | Here’s the full piece, by my colleague Elena Cresci: |
| Related: Here's what the steelworks mean to the people of Port Talbot | Related: Here's what the steelworks mean to the people of Port Talbot |
| 2.36pm BST | 2.36pm BST |
| 14:36 | 14:36 |
| The cause of Britain’s steel crisis is simple, and chilling, according to Oxford economics professor Simon Wren-Lewis. | The cause of Britain’s steel crisis is simple, and chilling, according to Oxford economics professor Simon Wren-Lewis. |
| One set of producers [in China] are trying to eliminate their competitors by flooding the market at a loss because they have the ‘deep pockets’ of a state behind them. | One set of producers [in China] are trying to eliminate their competitors by flooding the market at a loss because they have the ‘deep pockets’ of a state behind them. |
| And as Wren-Lewis explains in this blogpost, Britain’s government is complicit in it [as we reported this morning]. | And as Wren-Lewis explains in this blogpost, Britain’s government is complicit in it [as we reported this morning]. |
| The EU have been trying to raise tariffs against Chinese steel producers for three years, but have been blocked by a coalition of countries led by the UK. | The EU have been trying to raise tariffs against Chinese steel producers for three years, but have been blocked by a coalition of countries led by the UK. |
| The UK Business minister Sajid Javid has been quite explicit about this: he prefers cheap steel because it helps other parts of UK industry. It may also have something to do with wanting to curry favour with China because of other matters (which was the point of John McDonnell’s Little Red Book stunt, if only he hadn’t started reading from it!). | The UK Business minister Sajid Javid has been quite explicit about this: he prefers cheap steel because it helps other parts of UK industry. It may also have something to do with wanting to curry favour with China because of other matters (which was the point of John McDonnell’s Little Red Book stunt, if only he hadn’t started reading from it!). |
| This is not Javid upholding the principles of a free market, but instead allowing a large state to rig a market. The irony in this case is that the state in question is not the one he works for. | This is not Javid upholding the principles of a free market, but instead allowing a large state to rig a market. The irony in this case is that the state in question is not the one he works for. |
| The big story behind Port Talbot https://t.co/QiuQ4t1WOm | The big story behind Port Talbot https://t.co/QiuQ4t1WOm |
| 2.20pm BST | 2.20pm BST |
| 14:20 | 14:20 |
| Another photo of Sajid Javid’s welcoming committee: | Another photo of Sajid Javid’s welcoming committee: |
| Waiting for the business minister at Tata Steel in Port Talbot. #bbctheoneshow pic.twitter.com/WT5Ma72wlx | Waiting for the business minister at Tata Steel in Port Talbot. #bbctheoneshow pic.twitter.com/WT5Ma72wlx |
| 2.14pm BST | 2.14pm BST |
| 14:14 | 14:14 |
| Crowds of steel workers have gathered at Port Talbot, as they wait for Sajid Javid to emerge from his meetings: | Crowds of steel workers have gathered at Port Talbot, as they wait for Sajid Javid to emerge from his meetings: |
| 2.11pm BST | 2.11pm BST |
| 14:11 | 14:11 |
| Two-thirds of the UK public think the Port Talbot steelworks should be nationalised, according to a poll of 1,001 people conducted by Sky News | Two-thirds of the UK public think the Port Talbot steelworks should be nationalised, according to a poll of 1,001 people conducted by Sky News |
| 2.08pm BST | 2.08pm BST |
| 14:08 | 14:08 |
| Richard Tauwhare, a senior director at law firm Dechert, agrees that Europe needs stronger defences to ride out the steel crisis, without falling into full-blown protectionism. | Richard Tauwhare, a senior director at law firm Dechert, agrees that Europe needs stronger defences to ride out the steel crisis, without falling into full-blown protectionism. |
| Tauwhare says: | Tauwhare says: |
| “EU trade measures alone cannot address all the challenges facing the steel industry. But unfair competition, in any sector, can and does seriously threaten EU producers. | “EU trade measures alone cannot address all the challenges facing the steel industry. But unfair competition, in any sector, can and does seriously threaten EU producers. |
| The EU needs to streamline its procedures and sharpen its defences, while continuing to guard against the risks of veering into protectionism.” | The EU needs to streamline its procedures and sharpen its defences, while continuing to guard against the risks of veering into protectionism.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.08pm BST | at 2.08pm BST |
| 2.01pm BST | 2.01pm BST |
| 14:01 | 14:01 |
| Britain needs to urgently drop its opposition to imposing higher tariffs on Chinese steel, says Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel, the trade body. | Britain needs to urgently drop its opposition to imposing higher tariffs on Chinese steel, says Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel, the trade body. |
| Stace says that Europe could consider the ‘nuclear option’ of blocking steel imports into Europe, given the precarious state of the sector [under trade law, a country can impose emergency safeguards]. | Stace says that Europe could consider the ‘nuclear option’ of blocking steel imports into Europe, given the precarious state of the sector [under trade law, a country can impose emergency safeguards]. |
| As Stace puts it: | As Stace puts it: |
| “The Government must today change its position blocking the scrapping of the Lesser Duty Rule – removing the sign above Europe, saying ‘please dump here, you’re welcome’. We should follow the lead of our German counterparts who stand firmly behind their steel industry, manufacturing and consumers by backing the scrapping of the LDR. | “The Government must today change its position blocking the scrapping of the Lesser Duty Rule – removing the sign above Europe, saying ‘please dump here, you’re welcome’. We should follow the lead of our German counterparts who stand firmly behind their steel industry, manufacturing and consumers by backing the scrapping of the LDR. |
| “There are more tools in the Trade Defence Instrument box and if the UK Government and other members states now accept that steel making in the Europe is in ‘emergency measures’, then even the nuclear option of ‘safeguards’ must be on the table. | “There are more tools in the Trade Defence Instrument box and if the UK Government and other members states now accept that steel making in the Europe is in ‘emergency measures’, then even the nuclear option of ‘safeguards’ must be on the table. |
| Enacting ‘safeguards’ would effectively halt the flood of imports into the EU, which is drowning us in full sight of the global sector. Such a bold move, would give us time to breathe, take stock and see light at the end of the tunnel.. | Enacting ‘safeguards’ would effectively halt the flood of imports into the EU, which is drowning us in full sight of the global sector. Such a bold move, would give us time to breathe, take stock and see light at the end of the tunnel.. |
| It would also risk tit-for-tat moves from other countries. But that could still work in Europe’s interests, given the amount of steel coming in from China. | It would also risk tit-for-tat moves from other countries. But that could still work in Europe’s interests, given the amount of steel coming in from China. |
| 1.45pm BST | 1.45pm BST |
| 13:45 | 13:45 |
| Another tweet from the business secretary, as his trip around Port Talbot continues: | Another tweet from the business secretary, as his trip around Port Talbot continues: |
| Very productive meeting with @WG_EconomyMin at #PortTalbot. We're committed to working together | Very productive meeting with @WG_EconomyMin at #PortTalbot. We're committed to working together |
| 1.35pm BST | 1.35pm BST |
| 13:35 | 13:35 |
| Steel workers and NHS staff have linked hands outside the Port Talbot steel works today in a show of solidarity: | Steel workers and NHS staff have linked hands outside the Port Talbot steel works today in a show of solidarity: |
| 1.28pm BST | 1.28pm BST |
| 13:28 | 13:28 |
| Business secretary Sajid Javid has tweeted that he’s had a “good productive meeting” over the Port Talbot crisis. | Business secretary Sajid Javid has tweeted that he’s had a “good productive meeting” over the Port Talbot crisis. |
| Good productive meeting with @AlunCairns @SKinnock and @Rees4Neath @walesoffice on Port Talbot | Good productive meeting with @AlunCairns @SKinnock and @Rees4Neath @walesoffice on Port Talbot |
| That’s Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns and his officials, plus local Labour MPs Stephen Kinnock and Christina Rees. | That’s Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns and his officials, plus local Labour MPs Stephen Kinnock and Christina Rees. |