Last weekend, I found myself making an unusual journey to Westminster, writes North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling.

While I’m used to spending the weekend working in North West Cambridgeshire, Parliament itself doesn’t usually sit on a Saturday. In fact, it hasn’t happened since 1982 - but the situation facing British Steel was serious enough to warrant it.

At the centre of it all was a single, urgent issue: protecting the future of British steelmaking - and with it, thousands of jobs in the steel industry.

This isn’t just about one site or one company. It’s about whether we want the UK to continue being a country that builds and manufactures - or whether we’re prepared to watch key industries - and the skilled jobs and communities that rely on them - fade away. I know which side I’m on.

The crisis at British Steel prompted a Parliament recall.

placeholder image — The crisis at British Steel prompted a Parliament recall.

The crisis came to a head when British Steel’s owners, Jingye, made the decision to stop procuring raw materials for the two blast furnaces in Scunthorpe – which would have effectively shut them down. These are the last blast furnaces in the UK capable of producing virgin steel - a product that underpins our defence, infrastructure, transport and energy sectors.

Government ministers had offered support to keep them running - but the company’s demand for hundreds of millions of pounds in public money, without conditions, simply wasn’t acceptable.

That’s why Parliament was recalled. We passed emergency legislation granting the Business Secretary powers to intervene and ensure operations continue. It was an extraordinary step, but one backed by all sides of the House - and I was proud to vote for it.

Steel has always been central to Britain’s economy and our national identity - from shipbuilding and railways to offshore wind turbines and electric vehicles. Today, the UK steel industry supports around 39,000

jobs, with thousands more in supply chains and local economies - with an economic output of around £2.3 billion.

But for too long, major British projects have relied on imported steel, while domestic furnaces lie idle. That simply doesn’t make sense - not economically, not environmentally, and certainly not strategically.

Looking ahead, there’s a real challenge in helping the industry transition to lower-carbon production methods - including investing in electric arc furnace technology where it fits - but we cannot give up on the ability to produce primary steel from iron ore here in the UK. Doing so would put us at the mercy of global supply chains and jeopardise our energy security and national resilience.

The action we took this weekend won’t solve everything overnight. But it shows that, when it really matters, Parliament can come together to defend the jobs, skills, and industries that matter most. Labour will always stand up for our key industries, prioritising security and renewal in a changing world. That’s something that really matters to me - standing up for communities, securing good local jobs, and making sure Britain remains a country that builds.

I was proud to play a small part in that on Saturday, and I’ll keep doing what I can to support British steel, essential workers and industry.