Hartlepool MP to contact Government amid fears for 250 steel jobs

HMRC has issued a winding up petition against GFG Alliance, whose empire includes Liberty Steel, which employs 250 workers in Hartlepool’s Brenda Road.

The action comes after the collapse of GFG Alliance’s main lender, Greensill Capital, nearly a year ago.

Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer has now called the move “highly concerning for the 250 workers at Liberty Steel Hartlepool and their families”.

She added: “I am contacting the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,; the Minister for Steel and local managers at the Hartlepool site.

"Steel is vital for the local and national economy and I will do everything I can to ensure the site remains open.

“I know that the Liberty Pipe Mill in Hartlepool is a sound, profitable business, and I am confident that, even if forced into administration, a buyer could be found, and I would press the Government to step in and provide the support needed in the interim.

"I am determined that we will not lose this valuable asset and the skilled people who work there from our town.”

The petition, which forms part of discussions over repayments to creditors, was described by a spokesperson for the Community, Unite and GMB unions as “a devastating blow to our members and their families”.

They added: “The trade unions call on GFG and HMRC to get back round the table and hammer out a deal that provides space for the company to refinance.

“The best route to protect jobs and repay HMRC and other creditors would be to enable the business to continue to trade.

“Our experts have advised us that with the right framework of support Liberty Steel can have a sustainable future.

“The Government has an important role to play in providing that framework and must take urgent action to address our unaffordable energy prices.

“GFG is the owner and we hold them accountable for their actions, but as we have always said, Government must be ready to step in should that be required.”

An HMRC spokesperson said: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts, working with them to find the best possible solution based on their financial circumstances.”

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