Sanjeev Gupta: ‘UK steel plants will not close on my watch'

A defiant Sanjeev Gupta has told the BBC that none of the 12 steel and aluminium plants he owns will close while he is in charge.

Mr Gupta has admitted that his business is many billions in debt and starved of cash flow since its main financial backer, Greensill Capital, went bust in early March.

A recent request for a £170m taxpayer bailout was turned down by the government which said they had concerns that the money would disappear into the Gupta family’s opaque international empire.

Mr Gupta said he remained confident that with or without government help - he would get through this crisis.