British Steel updates: Chinese bosses ‘tried to enter critical areas of plant’ ahead of Commons debate as cops scrambled

BRITISH Steel workers prevented Chinese executives from its owner gaining access to key areas of the steelworks today, according to reports.

were called to the Scunthorpe plant in north at 8.30am.

Sources told The Times representatives from British Steel's Chinese owners Jingye came to the site at around 8am.

The newspaper reported workers mounted a “heroic” move to block their way to the offices.

They allegedly feared the delegation was trying to force the closure of the plant.

A Humberside Police spokesperson said: “Officers were in attendance at British Steel in Scunthorpe at 8.30am this morning (Saturday, April 12) following a suspected breach of the peace.

“Upon attending, conducting checks and speaking to individuals in the area, there were no concerns raised and no arrests were made.”

It comes as ‘s Scunthorpe blast furnaces after an extraordinary sitting of the Commons on Saturday.

Emergency legislation giving the Government the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open passed the Commons unopposed.

It will now be debated by the Lords as the Government attempts to get the powers on the statute book in a single day.

Ministers took the unusual step of recalling from its Easter recess to sit on Saturday after negotiations with Jingye appeared to break down.

Business Secretary accused the company of failing to negotiate “in good faith”.

It decided to stop buying enough raw materials to keep the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe going.

He told MPs: “We could not, will not and never will stand idly by while heat seeps from the UK's remaining blast furnaces without any planning, any due process or any respect for the consequences.

“And that is why I needed colleagues here today.”

But the Conservatives said the Government should have acted sooner.

Alex Burghart accused ministers of making “a total pig's breakfast of this whole arrangement”.

Shadow business secretary said the Government was seeking a “blank cheque”.

While Tory leader claimed Labour had “botched” a deal she had negotiated with British Steel while business secretary.

But she was unable to provide details of the deal saying negotiations were still ongoing when last year's election was called.

But she added it “would have succeeded better” than Mr Reynolds's plan.