British Steel considering cutting up to 1,200 jobs in Scunthorpe

Unions say move would be betrayal' amid talks with UK government over potential 300m in financial support

British Steel is considering cutting up to 1,200 jobs at its steelworks in Scunthorpe in a move that unions said would be a betrayal" of workers amid talks with the UK government over a potential 300m in financial support.

Executives at the Chinese-owned company told union leaders they were considering closing coke ovens at the plant and making hundreds more cuts across its operations at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon. The Unite union said up to 1,200 jobs were at risk.