THE FUTURE of British steel was still up in the air last night after David Cameron jetted out of the country amid a full-blown industrial crisis.

The Prime Minister convened a “brief” meeting of ministers yesterday morning on Tata Steel’s plan to pull out of Britain before flying to Washington DC for a two-day nuclear security summit.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid did not attend the crisis talks at Downing Street because he was sat on a long-haul flight from Australia.

And it was revealed yesterday that Mr Javid took his teenage daughter on the supposedly official visit, where he was due to attend a lunch hosted by the Australian BritishChamber of Commerce.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visited Tata Steel’s biggest plant at Port Talbot on Wednesday to show solidarity with its 4,000 workers.

The workers had also been told to expect a belated visit from the Business Secretary yesterday afternoon — but he was not expected back in Britain until last night.

Shadow business secretary Angela Eagle accused the Tory twosome of being “missing in action.”

“With tens of thousands of jobs on the line, the Prime Minister has failed to show any leadership and shows no sign of getting a grip of the very serious situation that has been allowed to worsen on his watch,” she said.

“The Tories have failed time and again to take the necessary action to support the steel industry through the crisis.”

Speaking outside Downing Street, the Prime Minister said the situation was of “deep concern” to him and claimed to “know how important those jobs are.”

He said: “Those jobs are vital to workers’ families, vital to those communities and the government will do everything it can working with the company to try and secure the future of steelmaking in Port Talbot and across our country, it’s a vital industry.”

But he offered no substantial solutions and ruled out taking a public stake to save thousands of jobs, declaring: “I don’t believe nationalisation is the right answer.” Steel union Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss who has just returned from meeting with Tata bosses in Mumbai, called Mr Cameron’s statement “underwhelming.”

He said: “I am disappointed that the government still has no plan for the industry but instead seems to be adding to the confusion and mixed messages that have been the state of play for the last 36 hours.”

“Despite the Prime Minister desperately trying to get a grip of the situation, his government’s mixed messages continue — saying they will do all they can but still being unclear on the potential positive government intervention which may be essential to securing a future for steel making in the UK.”

Further pressure was piled on the PM as support for nationalisation of the industry poured in from all quarters.

Plaid Cymru economy spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “With a willingness to make a public investment now, to see us through this period of crisis, steel in Wales can have a bright future.”

Sikh Federation UK chairman Bhai Amrik Singh said this “essential industry” should not be “in the hands of a foreign power.”

Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “The Prime Minister’s reluctance to contemplate public ownership shows yet again a government putting ideology above practical support.”

Even former Tory trade secretary Peter Lilley said public ownership should not be ruled out as a last resort.

“It would be almost unthinkable that a country of our size could survive as a major manufacturing country without a steel industry,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World at One.