[mr_toad]

The government is forced to sell steel at a loss, because all the buyers for whom this is a such a vital supply would otherwise buy cheaper imported steel, every single one of them.

And ultimately all the ore and coke used to make the steel are imported anyway.

[p_l]

Until something happens that disrupts the supply chains from abroad and suddenly there's an issue

[8note]

if theres supply chain disruption abroad, its probably going to affect the ore and coke exports too

[IAmBroom]

Far more fungible than steel plant products.

[8note]

coke is pretty dependent on where it was mined, isn't it?

1018 is 1018 wherever it was made

[jarym]

2 things: a) Government plays a part in the cost of things - especially years of mis-investment around energy generation has sent British prices to the stratosphere and employment taxation levels greater than those 'cheaper' producers. b) The 'cheaper' producers are still _producers_ and thus have control - if they need to hoard their own supply they will, or if they need to leverage it for some political gain they might.

[patall]

The same is, as far as I can grasp it, true for butter, bread, milk and eggs. Only there, it is already established.

[10000truths]

Isn't this exactly the kind of problem that tariffs are meant to address?