A NORTH-EAST MP has held talks with bosses from Tata Steel to try to save jobs in the region.

Corus’ Teesside Cast Products plant in Redcar, east Cleveland, is facing closure, with 3,000 people set to loss their jobs if the blast furnace closes in August.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Ashok Kumar, met senior directors from Tata Steel, including Dr Debanshish Bhattacharjee, director of research development and technology from Tata Steel.

Mr Kumar said: “I pressed on him the importance of the Redcar and Lackenby plant and the versatility and excellence of the steelmaking tradition on Teesside.

“I also pointed out the productivity and cost gains that had been made on the complex over past years, and the need to press on with trying to sell the plant as a supplier of steel slab to the world steel rerolling market.

“I also pointed out the geographical advantages of the plant, the deep water anchorage and the links with PD Ports’ own operations on the neighbouring site.”

On Friday, the plant received a stay of execution after bosses secured internal orders from their parent company.

The orders mean steelmaking can continue until August – when a consultation over the proposed mothballing of the plant runs out.