Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that he will seek to pass a law in one day to give the government power to secure the future of steel-making at the Scunthorpe plant.

He said that he will “act to protect British jobs and British workers” as the future of British Steel hangs in the balance with economic and national security “on the line.”

Speaking at No 10, he added that Britain needs “more steel not less” and there was no time to waste.

The government would do everything possible to stop the closure of the blast furnaces at the plant, he said.

Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “We welcome this decision to recall Parliament — it is in the national interest that a solution is found to secure a future for British Steel as a vital strategic business.