Newport East MP Jessica Morden and Monmouthshire MP Catherine Fookes have discussed ‘growing the steel industry’ as they invited Community Union President to Westminster.
The Community Union Parliamentary Group is a cross-party network of MPs and Peers in the UK Parliament affiliated with the Community Trade Union, dedicated to advancing workers' rights, promoting industrial renewal—particularly in the steel sector—and advocating for social justice
Community Union President Andrew "Reg" Gutteridge—who previously chaired the multi-union committee at Tata's Llanwern Steelworks in Newport—attended the Community Union Parliamentary Group meeting. The group, chaired by Mrs Morden, discussed critical issues including the UK Steel Strategy, protecting local manufacturing jobs, and employment rights.
Gwent's steel industry is anchored by major hubs in Newport and Blaenau Gwent, balancing historic roots with modern production.
One of the steel industries based in Gwent is Tata Steel Llanwern. Operating a hot strip mill, cold strip mill, and galvanising line, this 100-acre+ site processes around 1.5 million tonnes of steel coil annually for the automotive and construction sectors.
Another industry based in Gwent is Liberty Steel. Located on the Usk Estuary, this facility uses electric arc furnace (EAF) technology with a 1-million-tonne capacity and includes a captive port and multi-modal logistics terminal.
Meeting Mr Reg at Westminster, Mrs Morden expressed her determination to protect steel jobs in Gwent and grow the steel industry in this region.
Mrs Morden said: “Excellent to welcome Reg to Parliament this week for his first meeting of the Community Union Parliamentary Group in his role as Union President. One of the topics of discussion was the government’s new Steel Strategy, which is a much-needed step forward. It prioritises British-made steel, growing the steel industry and protecting jobs - like the many hundreds in Newport East.”
The Community Union Parliamentary Group said: “Community maintains a strong voice in the UK Parliament. We have a large parliamentary group in Westminster that drives our political campaigns. Together, we are working to improve legislation and government policy on a wide range of issues including workplace rights, industrial renewal, and social justice.”
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