Number of British Steel jobs at risk 'much worse than feared'

The GMB union said that as well as the thousands directly employed, another 28,395 work in the supply chain.

Previous estimates had put the number of jobs at risk at 25,000 but the new analysis reveals thousands more are in the balance, said the union.

Delegates at the GMB's annual conference in Brighton urged the Government to do more to save the jobs.

National officer Ross Murdoch said: "There are more than 30,000 jobs at stake at British Steel, directly and through the supply chain. It's much worse than had been feared.

"GMB members are showing today that the fight for jobs at British Steel is a fight our whole union will get behind.

"There is outrage across the country at the prospect of indispensable foundation industries like British Steel going to the wall, while the Government simply sits on its hands.

"The UK has lost almost half a million manufacturing jobs in the last decade and while the Tory Party leadership candidates debate how much they want to cut the taxes of the richest, our members are looking at a bleak and uncertain future.

"A continuing decline in manufacturing is not inevitable, but we need action to protect the skilled, well-paid jobs our proud industries can provide and support."

British Steel went into compulsory liquidation in May, putting thousands of jobs at risk.