Liberty Steel Group planning to cut hundreds of jobs in South Yorkshire

Liberty Steel Group is planning to cut hundreds of jobs in South Yorkshire and South Wales after a review of its UK business in response to "challenging market conditions and a lingering reduction in demand for UK steel products", the company announced.

There will now be a consultation process with unions over a proposal to cut around 280 jobs at its plant in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire and around 70 in Newport, South Wales.

Liberty Steel UK chief executive Cornelius Louwrens said:

The firm will offer voluntary redundancy to workers at the affected sites, and has set up a new company, GFG Workforce Solutions, to enable employees hit by the cutback, to remain within the GFG Alliance, a group of companies which includes Liberty.

GMB, the union for steelworkers, has responded to the news.

Ross Murdoch, GMB National Officer, said:

MP for Penistone & Stocksbridge Miriam Cates says:

A UK Government spokesperson said: