Lisa Nandy says commercial solution is still achievable as talks with Chinese owners continue

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A deal to keep the blast furnaces at British Steel burning is “within sight”, a cabinet minister has said, as the government heads for crunch talks with the Scunthorpe plant’s Chinese owners aimed at avoiding nationalisation.

Jingye, which promised a “new chapter” in UK steelmaking when it rescued British Steel in 2020, said last month the site’s two blast furnaces were no longer financially sustainable, raising fears for the future of 2,700 workers.