‘I need my RSJs’ Rayner jokes during visit to Scunthorpe steelworks

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner joked that she had come for the materials to build the 1.5 million homes the government has promised in the next five years as she arrived at Scunthorpe steelworks.

Ms Rayner met the new executive team, union officials and workers before she was shown a panoramic view of the blast furnaces at the centre of the ongoing crisis over UK steelmaking.

Arriving at the huge steelworks she bit into a piece of Scunthorpe steel that she was given by one of the union officers, saying “it’s decent” and “it’s British”.

And she was applauded by those in the meeting as she thanked them for everything they had done to keep the plant running during this turbulent period.

Ms Rayner said: “Thank you for everything you’ve done over the last days and weeks, really, because you’ve worked tremendously hard together to make sure we got to this point.

“In Parliament we did our business on Saturday but I know you lot have been instrumental on the ground, making sure things have kept going and that the information has been flowing.

“We’ve got to the point we have now where we’ve secured the plant and we’ve got raw material coming and therefore the furnaces are going to keep firing up. Well done to everyone with your help for that.”

The newly appointed interim chief executive of British Steel Allan Bell said: “Equally, thank you to the UK government for their support and recognising the importance of steelmaking in the UK, and the actions that have taken been taken to secure the future of Scunthorpe.

“So our thanks to you, to the Cabinet and to the Government.”

Mr Bell stressed the importance of the working relationship between the management and the unions at the plant.

Never mind any other part of government, I'm here because I need my RSJs and everything else for my houses

Ms Rayner discussed the importance of steelmaking to “our national security” and also “for my 1.5 million homes as well”.

She joked: “Never mind any other part of government, I’m here because I need my RSJs and everything else for my houses.”

Later, looking out over the vast site, she said: “It’s an incredible sight, though. It’s industrial Britain.

“You just see it here, and you see that that’s where our history is, and where our future is as well.”