The Scunthorpe steelworks has been officially nationalised under new government powers passed this week.

British Steel has been taken into public ownership in what the government said was a bid to "protect UK steelmaking". The future of the steelworks, which employs roughly 2,700 people in Scunthorpe and supports many other industries in north Lincolnshire, has been dogged by uncertainty over recent years. "Today's decision secures the future of steelmaking in the UK, protects skilled jobs and safeguards a vital national capability," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said. The UK government took control of British Steel operations in Scunthorpe last year, though it has since remained under the ownership of the Chinese firm Jingye Group. Jingye has said it has begun the process of seeking compensation for nationalisation, having previously said the business was losing £700,000 a day. The BBC has been unable to get a response from Jingye to Thursday's announcement. Starmer added: "British Steel is part of the fabric of our nation and a cornerstone of Britain's industrial strength. "This government will always act in the national interest to support British industry, strengthen our economy and ensure the industries we rely on can thrive long into the future."