Salmond: "Cameron Risks Watching UK Steel Die"

20 October 2015, 18:42 | Updated: 31 August 2016, 12:23

Alex Salmond tells Iain Dale that he favours intervention in the UK steel industry, and that David Cameron risks being the PM to preside over its death.

Today Tata Steel announced 1,200 job losses at its steel works, which follows 2,200 job losses at the SSI steel plant at Redcar. The Scottish National Party MP Alex Salmond told Iain Dale on LBC this evening that he favours intervention to save the works and save jobs.

"I’m an interventionist.

"As First Minister in Scotland I intervened to save Prestwick airport. It’s still struggling at the present moment but at least it’s there. I intervened to save Ferguson Shipyard… Ferguson Shipyard is now flourishing and is now looking forward to an excellent future."

Mr Salmond said that the government should have intervened sooner to “protect and preserve an element of a steel industry."

"About a year ago David Cameron said he didn’t want to be the Prime Minister that presided over Scottish independence and the end of the United Kingdom.

"Does he actually want to be the Prime Minister that presides over the end of UK steel making?"