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.”