COUNCIL leaders, MPs and the representatives from the administrators at British Steel are convening today for emergency talks on the hundreds of jobs under threat at the company's sites in east Cleveland.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has organised the emergency meeting behind closed doors with all but one Teesside MP, all the council leaders including Darlington's Heather Scott, council chief executives and British Steel administrators Ernst & Young, as well as other relevant stakeholders.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the ongoing situation with British Steel and agree a joint plan of action covering all possible scenarios.
Earlier this week it was announced that Britain's second-largest steel producer was on the brink of collapse putting thousands of jobs at risk, including 700 in the North-East at sites in Lackenby and Skinningrove.
Politicians in the region have called on the government to intervene and pump money into the business to keep it open.
Mr Houchen hit out at British Steel owners, Greybull Capital, branding them 'sharks' and asking for temporary nationalisation of the company.
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