THE government’s much-trumpeted promises to help northern communities could be put to the test as talks to save British Steel and 5,000 jobs faced possible collapse today.

General union GMB said that if the sale of British Steel to Chinese firm Jingye failed, with no other buyer in sight, then the government should take the firm back into public ownership: something the last government refused point blank to do.

Reports that the talks are in danger emanated from Whitehall and have been widely publicised.

GMB national officer Ross Murdoch said today: “GMB has had a number of meetings and is seeking assurances from Jingye that they are committed to sealing this deal and that their business plan is robust enough to withstand external pressures.

“The government must secure the deal and, if it can’t, take British Steel into public ownership.

“If the Conservatives let thousands of steel jobs go to the wall, it will prove their commitment to northern voters was yet more lies.”

Jingye and the government have denied that the talks are nearing collapse, according to the BBC.

British Steel employs about 4,000 workers in Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire and on Teesside in the north-east of England, where Boris Johnson crowed that his government would intervene to help struggling communities hit by the Tories, destruction of the coal industry, and much of the chemical and steel industries.

TUC northern region secretary Beth Farhat said: “The north-east and Cumbria have experienced nine years of failed austerity. The pressure is now on the government to boost living standards and inject real investment into our NHS and public services.

“And there are no more excuses for Boris Johnson on Brexit. In the year to come he must deliver a deal with the EU that protects jobs, rights at work and peace in Northern Ireland.”

She warned: “Now, more than ever, working people need to stand together in their unions and get ready to fight to protect our livelihoods and our communities. We urge everyone at work to join a trade union.”