Britain has a "strong argument" to support its steel industry, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Tuesday, days after the government proposed to extend tariffs by two years to protect domestic steelmakers.

"Every single G7 country produces steel and every single one of them support those industries, and the reason they support it is because it's strategic," Kwarteng said in response to a question on steel tariffs from a parliamentary panel.

"If everyone else is supporting a strategic industry, I think there is a strong argument for us in this country to do so." (Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Sachin Ravikumar, editing by William James)


Reuters