To be sad about the collapse of British Steel?

[Lightsabre]

25,000 jobs to go in an impoverished part of the country. Our once great Steel industry on its knees. Many of these areas voted for Brexit too without being informed of the economic considerations. A sad day and I feel for those communities and am very angry with this Government.

The news coverage is all saying that British Steel orders from Europe 'dried' up after the 2016 referendum. I don't have ability to find their raw order book numbers, but it's a believable claim from the journos.

(This is interesting, about cost of energy in UK vs. other EU countries).

Looks like Germany, in 2017, produced 28% of steel in Europe. Has anyone heard about the steel industry collapsing in Deutschland due to 'everyone is only buying steel from China'? Someone can search using Deutsch language to bring us that story. All I can find is how bolshy their steel workers are they are considering big strikes. Rather than rely on £100mln loans to pay their taxes, Germany steel makers can sustain big fines from their regulator. Dunno, looks like a robust healthy industry to me.

Fullfact describes many of the measures EU is taking to minimise the effect of Chinese steel 'dumping'; and why UK after Brexit may not take those steps. More info.

@YeOldeTrout. Bravo

Yep UK problems yet again blamed on those pesky foreigners.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/economy-business/economy-economy/uk-steel-decades-of-decline/ = here is my source before someone asks.

The fall in production last year was striking – the UK produced 7.6 million tonnes of steel in 2016 the lowest amount since 1933 and 31% down on the total in 2015.This was the biggest fall since 1980.
I will admit this states cheap foreign steel as the main reason for decrease in steel, but brexit is a key factor.

For example, two-thirds of steel produced in Wales goes into Europe, and many producers with operations in the UK such as Celsa also have facilities elsewhere in mainland Europe,” = www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3561132/FEATURE-What-could-Brexit-mean-for-the-UK-steel-industry.html

British Steel does have some problems unique to it, chiefly a rash bet it made on the EU's emissions trading scheme, under which it sold a number of the allowances with which it is required to match each tonne of CO2 its operations emit.

British Steel had more allowances than it needed for the expected CO2 emissions produced by its UK operations.

But it was caught out when the EU - which issues the permits - put a temporary suspension on new allowances being issued to UK companies until the Brexit withdrawal agreement was completed.
= so also a poor business decision was made.