Today (20 January 2026) Luke Myer MP met with Mayor Steffen Jensen of Halsnæs Municipality in Denmark. The meeting highlighted industrial and cultural similarities between Halsnæs and Teesside – two coastal, steelmaking regions made up of resilient towns and villages and shaped by heavy industry, ports, and offshore energy.

The meeting covered shared economic and social priorities including steel production, community development, the green transition, immigration policy and local welfare systems. Halsnæs is home to Denmark’s sole steel rolling mill and a key European supplier into offshore wind and shipbuilding. With Teesside’s ambitions in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and defence supply chains, Luke believes there are opportunities for cooperation. As chair of the Steel APPG, Luke has been meeting with European politicians to discuss the risks presented by proposed EU trade measures to Teesside and the UK.

Luke also took the opportunity to express solidarity with Denmark and Greenland given current threats to Greenland’s sovereignty. The meeting was one of several which Luke and his Labour colleagues are having with representatives of Labour’s Danish sister party Socialdemokratiet.

Luke reaffirmed that decisions about Greenland’s future rest solely with the people of Greenland and Denmark, and that this principle of democratic self-determination is fundamental.

Luke Myer MP also explored the Danish Government’s approach to immigration and border control. Denmark combines a firm and fair approach to its borders with strong community integration and social cohesion, and Luke believes there are important lessons for the UK in how to balance security and fairness as part of a credible immigration system.

Luke will continue to develop international partnerships for Teesside, particularly in areas linked to industry, security and community, ensuring the region is outward-looking and connected to partners who share its industrial heritage and strategic priorities.