Attempts to introduce emergency legislation to help protect the British steel industry have been rejected by the Government.
Labour wanted to take control of the Commons order paper on June 28 so it could move “urgent legislative action” to assist the sector.
MPs heard measures which guard against cheap foreign imports will expire in nine days following a recommendation by the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA).
The Opposition’s motion warned nine of the 19 existing safeguards on steel products are recommended for abolition and called for urgent action from the Government to allow ministers to reject these changes and temporarily extend the protections.
But MPs voted 355 to 271, majority 84, to reject Labour’s proposals.
The TRA was established via the Trade Act 2021 in a bid to help defend the 海角视频’s economic interests from unfair international trading practices.
Business minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, pressed on what the Government will do, said: “The tools available for us with anti-dumping measures continue to be ones that remain at the forefront of the Secretary of State’s toolkit, and I know she will be focusing very closely on that in the days and weeks ahead.”
Trade minister Ranil Jayawardena also claimed steel remains “one of the commanding heights of the economy” and said the Government is “committed to championing free and fair trade to the benefit of jobs”.
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Earlier, Conservative Holly Mumby-Croft – MP for the steel town of Scunthorpe – called for the Government to explore changes in law to enable Trade Secretary Liz Truss to retain existing steel safeguards.
She noted the TRA’s final recommendations “still overlooked many of the arguments” made by MPs from both sides of the Commons, adding: “Reading the final recommendations it is clear that the TRA is to some degree a hostage of the rigid terms set out in the trade remedies regulations.”
Ms Mumby-Croft said some decisions were made “despite data being insufficient”, also noting: “I am sure many across this House will agree that decisions that affect the lives and livelihoods of our constituents cannot be made in this way and will agree that we now need further proactive solutions to support the steel industry.
“We must look at whether reform of the Trade Secretary’s powers is required to allow safeguard assessments to be conducted in part by ministers who have an understanding of the bigger picture and are in a position to make a decision about the trade-offs and who are accountable for their decision-making.”
The MP is due to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson, adding: “I urge the Government to explore how we can make World Trade Organisation compliant changes in legislation to allow the Trade Secretary the option to take back control and consider whether it is legally possible to extend our existing safeguards.
“Speaking plainly, it is clear to me that when the EU is set to keep all 19 of their steel safeguards and we’re only set to keep 10 that risks putting us at a disadvantage.”
For Labour, shadow trade secretary Emily Thornberry said: “When our steel companies go into the world and seek investment in their future, they must be able to say with total confidence that the British Government has their back, that it will support them when necessary and will always do whatever it takes to defend them against unfair trade from surging cheap imports.”
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She asked MPs: “Will you side with the communities of Scunthorpe, Cardiff and Sheffield who see a bright future for their industry, or will you side with the fanatics from the right-wing think tanks who see no future at all? Will you provide our steel industry with the safeguards they need to build for the future with confidence, or will you leave them to sink or swim in a flood of cheap imports from China?
“I have no idea where the Secretary of State stands when it comes to that choice because she’s chosen not even to be here this evening and has so far refused to take the emergency action that we have instead been forced to propose on her behalf.”