UK government refuses to rule out redundancies at Scunthorpe steelworks

Business secretary says plant may need different employment footprint' in future after government takeover of site

The business secretary has refused to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite calls from trade unions to end the programme of job losses started by its former owners.

Jonathan Reynolds said on Tuesday the plant might need to have a different employment footprint" after the government's takeover, even as he promised to try to save the plant's two blast furnaces.