NORTH-EAST steelworkers are taking their fight to Westminster in a bid to win increased sector support.

Union officials based at SSI UK, in Redcar, and Tata Steel, which has plants near Redcar and Skinningrove, east Cleveland, are due to visit Parliament next week.

The Community union says it expects to lobby ministers on Wednesday, January 14.

It comes after number of North-East MPs, including Labour’s Tom Blenkinsop, Alex Cunningham, Kevan Jones and Iain Wright, previously called on the Government to help companies by cutting energy taxes and lowering steel imports to protect British products.

Mr Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough south and east Cleveland, who also sits as chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Steel Group, said he will speak up for steelworkers in a Westminster opposition day, which allows Labour to set the agenda.

He said: “The industry is under pressure and yet it is fundamental to many of the UK’s strategically important supply chains.

“Construction, automotive, energy and many other sectors all need a vibrant and sustainable UK steel industry, but it has been struggling to compete because of the Government's policies.”

Roy Rickhuss, Community’s general secretary, said action on the UK’s steel sector was overdue.

He added: “The industry needs more than warm words from ministers to overcome its challenges.

“But this Government has missed too many opportunities and our members and their employers are worried for the future as they try to compete against countries such as France and Germany, which provide far more support to their foundation industries.

“Ministers now have another opportunity to stand up for steel and I hope they seize the moment.”

The visit comes as US billionaire Gary Klesch continues with a bid to takeover Tata Steel’s loss-making European long products division, which employs about 750 North-East workers, and includes the Teesside Beam Mill, at Lackenby, near Redcar.

The deal has drawn criticism from MPs and union bosses over potential job losses and an alleged lack of staff consultation.

However, Mr Klesch, a former Ohio steel mill electrician, has played down such fears, adding due diligence is expected to be completed by spring this year.

See Monday's Northern Echo for an exclusive interview with bosses at SSI UK.