The UK government is taking control of Chinese-owned British Steel after emergency legislation was rushed through Parliament in a single day.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs the government's likely next step would be to nationalise the Scunthorpe plant, which employs 2,700 people.

But he said he was forced to seek emergency powers to prevent owners Jingye shutting down its two blast furnaces, which would have ended primary steel production in the UK.

MPs and peers were called back from their Easter holidays to debate the legislation in an extremely rare Saturday sitting of both houses of Parliament. It has now received Royal Assent after being passed by the Commons and Lords.

The BBC understands UK government officials are at the Scunthorpe site ready to take control of operations.

After the legislation was given royal assent, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "Today, my government has stepped in to save British steel.

"We are acting to protect the jobs of thousands of workers, and all options are on the table to secure the future of the industry."

He said steel made in Britain "will be the backbone as we get Britain building once more," adding: "Our industry is the pride of our history ? and I want it to be our future, too."

Speaking to steelworkers earlier on Saturday at a village hall near Scunthorpe, Sir Keir said: "You are the people who have kept this going."

It came as several hundred people, including steelworkers and their families, took part in a march and a rally at Scunthorpe United's Glanford Park stadium, chanting "we want our steel back".

British Steel worker Rob Barroclough told the BBC: "Our family, like many others, is built around the steelworks. Who knows... my boys might end up working there one day, if it can be saved."

He added: "We're hoping for the best but planning for the worst."

Meanwhile, it has emerged that police were called to the steel works this morning after a suspected breach of the peace.

Jingye officials have been on-site regularly in recent days, and it's thought that relations between them and the workers have become increasingly tense.

Sources told BBC News that when Jingye executives arrived at the plant this morning, the automatic number plate recognition scanners didn't allow them through the site barriers.

Humberside Police said officers conducted checks and spoke to individuals but that there were no concerns raised and no arrests were made. (BBC)

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