Welsh voters believe steelmakers should electrify to protect industry and save jobs

Polling: Welsh voters believe steelmakers should electrify to protect industry and save jobs

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By Jess Ralston

info@eciu.net

Last updated:

Polling conducted by More in Common on behalf of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) [1] has also shown that Welsh voters are more than twice as likely to believe that the Welsh steel industry will be more secure in the long-term if it electrifies its operations than if it continues relying on conventional gas and coal power, as the crisis in the Middle East drives growing concern about the impact of rising energy prices on energy-intensive industries like steel [2].
 
Over half (52%) of voters said that the steel sector in Wales would be more secure in the long-term if the Government invested in helping steelmaking sites switch to furnaces that run off electricity compared to less than one in five (18%) who said the industry would be better off if the government supported sites in continuing to run on gas and coking coal.

Polling

Some opposition politicians have sought to link industrial closures to the UK Government’s policy of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 [3]. However, this is not a view shared by the Welsh public; in the polling the most common causes of steel job losses in Port Talbot and Newport were believed to be competition from China and India (42%), overseas-owned businesses failing to prioritise Welsh jobs (36%) and a lack of support from the UK Government (35%). Just one in five voters (20%) attributed the closures to net zero and climate policies and targets – the second least selected option, after actions by trade unions (9%)

ENDS


Notes to editors:


1. To download the full polling press release: https://mcusercontent.com/8ed7ad7972fae058e8f4fb7e8/files/9d6cc83a-e92c-bba5-1279-4061f295f0db/Wales_steel_polling_2026.pdf
2. More in Common / ECIU Polling: More in Common polling for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, 15th February – 3rd March, sample size: 851. 
3. https://www.reformparty.uk/view-pdf/welsh-manifesto


For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, t: 020 8156 5305, m: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net