MINISTERS should consider nationalising Britain’s ailing steel industry, a leading trade unionist told the Scottish Labour conference yesterday.

Indian conglomerate Tata has announced the closure and sale of the Dalzell and Clydebridge works, destroying 270 jobs.

STUC general secretary Grahame Smith hit out at government-initiated taskforces for being “established to pick up the pieces after a closure has been announced and any prospect of saving the jobs has all but disappeared.

“Times have changed and market conditions are challenging. But there is a long-term future for these plants.

“Every ownership option must be explored, including the option of public ownership.”

Mr Smith also warned that the North Sea oil industry would shed further jobs in the coming months and years.

“Over the last year, we have suffered from thousands of job losses offshore with worse to come as the operators cut and run,” he added.