HUNDREDS of estate agents’ boards declaring “steel not for sale” have gone up in communities around Britain’s steel production centres as union Unite campaigns to defend the industry and thousands of jobs.

The signs appeared outside homes in Port Talbot in Wales, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, Teesside in north-east England and Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire to “show the strength of community opposition to continued threats to British steel.”

The union has secured a pledge of support for the steel industry from Labour if the party wins the next general election.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has secured a commitment from Labour that it will invest £3 billion in British steel.

“The current government must act in the national interest and provide similar guarantees to save jobs and maintain capacity to allow for the steel industry’s future growth.

“Steel demand is growing and Britain is ideally placed to be a global leader in green steel if the right decisions are made, as Unite has clearly shown.

“The fight for the future of British steel is now. Unite will be relentless in its campaigning until the right choices are made.”

Tata Steel has announced the loss of almost 3,000 jobs in Port Talbot as part of the plant's transition from coal-fired furnaces to more environmentally friendly electric arc furnaces.

The government has handed Tata Steel £500 million in taxpayers’ cash to help pay for the transition.

Tata has rejected an alternative transition plan from Unite which would save the jobs and today began a formal 45-day consultation on its restructuring which is set to lead to thousands of job losses.