04/12/09 - Bristow - Bitter Blow for Corus Workers

Commenting on the news that Corus has confirmed plans to mothball the blast furnace at Teesside Cast Products in Redcar, steel making at Lackenby, and the coke ovens at South Bank at the end of January, Paul Bristow the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland said:

"This announcement will come as a bitter blow to the workers and their families, especially so close to Christmas. They have done everything management has asked of them and more. They have my deepest sympathy.

"Steelmaking is iconic to Teesside and this closure should not have been allowed to happen.Words from Lord Mandleson earlier this year that everything was being done to save the plant now look very hollow.

"I havebeen callingonlocal MPs and the Governmentto fly the flag for the steel industry on Teesside for some time, as they did with the car industry elsewhere.I urgebothnational and local Government agencies to act quickly and support the workerswhowill sadly lose their jobs, and to protect those that remain."