Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp welcome merger

Unions and politicians are calling for Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp to safeguard Welsh jobs when they go ahead with their planned merger.

The Indian and German companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to combine their European steel operations in a 50-50 venture.

It will lead to about 4,000 job losses.

Almost 7,000 people are employed by Tata in Wales, including more than 4,000 in Port Talbot - the largest steel works in the UK.

Bimlendra Jha, CEO of Tata Steel, and Guido Kerkhoff, chief financial officer at Thyssenkrupp, welcomed the deal.