COMMUNISTS in northern England have slammed the Tories’ “callous approach” to the crisis in Britain’s steel industry, which is costing thousands of jobs.

After meeting in Carlisle on Saturday, Communist Party of Britain Northern district congress said that Redcar in Teesside would not recover for decades from the closure of the SSI steelworks and that the government’s northern powerhouse idea was nothing more than a cheap slogan.

“Ultimately the cause of the crisis is the open-door trade policies of the British government and the European Union,” the congress declared.

“Even now, the government could provide support to keep the blast furnaces and coke ovens working and invest in infrastructure projects to be supplied with steel from British plants.”

CPB district secretary Martin Levy said that the Redcar closure would cost more than 3,000 jobs.

The congress adopted an action plan, including campaigning against anti-trade union laws, building the People’s Assembly Against Austerity and support for the Morning Star.