**Keir Starmer Promises New Era for Port Talbot and Wales with Labour-Led Reform**
Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has struck an optimistic tone for the future of Port Talbot and Wales at large, detailing his government’s significant commitments to the Welsh steel industry and the wider economy. Speaking exclusively to Wales Online, Starmer outlined how his administration is rolling out extensive support and investment in Welsh communities, signalling a renewed era of industrial promise.
During a recent visit to the Port Talbot steelworks, Starmer reaffirmed his government’s resolve to back workers and apprentices facing years of uncertainty. With the construction of a new electric arc furnace now underway and a £500 million backing for Tata Steel, the future of around 5,000 steel jobs has been secured. Starmer highlighted that these developments are just the beginning, with an upcoming Steel Strategy promising up to £2.5 billion in further investment. This strategy is designed to secure skilled jobs and boost Wales’ production of environmentally-friendly steel.
Over recent years, Port Talbot, a symbol of Welsh industrial pride, has witnessed considerable challenges. Starmer placed blame on the previous Conservative government for failing to broker a protective deal with Tata Steel that prioritised workers’ long-term interests, leading to widespread anxiety among families and businesses reliant on the steel sector. He argued that one of his administration’s first moves was to arrive at a more favourable agreement for Port Talbot and its workforce.
One of the government’s early actions was to fully fund an £80 million Transition Board, a measure previously left unsupported. This funding has since been deployed to enable workers to reskill, retrain, and even launch their own ventures, reducing the uncertainty previously borne by the local community. The Prime Minister also drew attention to Labour’s ongoing efforts to attract further infrastructure and innovation to the region, including significant investment in floating offshore wind technology, which is projected to create more than 5,000 additional jobs. There are also ambitious blueprints for a Celtic Freeport, aiming to channel new investment into green energy and further underpinning the region’s economic transformation.
Starmer paid tribute to the leadership of Secretary for Wales, Jo Stevens, affirming that both the Welsh and UK Labour governments remain fully committed to creating better jobs, helping businesses, and alleviating living costs. As part of a broader modern industrial strategy, he outlined targeted support for sectors with high energy requirements, protection against volatile global steel markets, and a new prioritisation of made-in-Britain steel for public building projects—a policy he says will have lasting benefits for Wales.
Internationally, the Labour-led government has signed influential agreements with the United States, European Union, and India. Starmer noted that, through these ties, Welsh firms now have greater access to global markets. “Brand Wales” is being championed overseas, and the removal of punitive tariffs—such as the 25% US steel levy—has put Welsh manufacturers at a significant advantage compared to global competitors.
Yet, Starmer also addressed domestic debate on the steel industry’s future. He criticised politicians like Nigel Farage, who previously disparaged Labour’s initiatives to modernise steelmaking in South Wales. Starmer asserted that proposals to reopen mothballed blast furnaces, as put forward by Reform UK, lack credibility and threaten the livelihoods of thousands recently saved by Labour interventions.
Looking ahead to the next year’s election, Starmer emphasised that voters in Wales face a stark decision: either maintain Labour’s course toward reform and investment or potentially undo the progress achieved in jobs, healthcare, and education. The Prime Minister pointed to tangible improvements since Labour took office, including a historic uplift in funding for Welsh public services, nearly £450 million invested in rail infrastructure, pay rises for low-income workers, and improved rights for employees through reforms to contracts, sick pay, and maternity leave.
Starmer concluded that his government’s Plan for Change represents a commitment not only to Wales’ industrial revival but also to spreading economic prosperity. The data, he claims, points to rising wages and falling living costs—a record he contrasts sharply to that of the previous Conservative administration. Under Labour, the vision is clear: to rebuild and revitalize both Britain and Wales, ensuring that communities like Port Talbot flourish once more.