Government withholds papers on sale of former Redcar steelworks

THE government has refused to release papers relating to an inquiry into the sale to private businesses of land in Teesside destined to become Britain’s largest “freeport.”

Labour MPs have made allegations of wrongdoing in connection with the sale of the site of the former British Steel works at Redcar, now known as Teesworks, in Teesside in north-east England.

Middlesbrough Labour MP Andy McDonald had raised concerns in the Commons about the Teesworks scheme, alleging “truly shocking, industrial-scale corruption.”

Labour proposed in Parliament this week that all papers, advice and correspondence involving ministers and senior officials related to the inquiry decision be released, and questioned why the review should not be led by the National Audit Office.

Labour’s proposal was defeated in the House of Commons on Wednesday by 272 votes to 166.

Instead an “independent” review will be carried out by a panel appointed by Communities and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.

Local government minister Lee Rowley said this week that the independent panel had been appointed “given the importance to Tees Valley of addressing this matter.”

Shadow communities secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Tory MPs have voted to cover up why the government made the astonishing decision to block a fully independent investigation into the serious allegations that have been made, and instead chose to handpick the terms for their own review.

“It is disgraceful that the Conservative Party has voted to deny people on Teesside the answers they deserve about the use of hundreds of millions of pounds of public money and the transfer into private hands of 90 per cent of an asset that is a vital part of Teesside’s civic inheritance.”