Blair :appealed to Corus to reconsider cuts

And they were reassured by the premier that Wales's steel workforce was "part of Britain's future, not Britain's past".

"I pay tribute to the extraordinary way that the workforce, trade unions and communities have put together a plan to save the threatened plants.

"It is a plan not based on sentiment but hard-headed commercial interest. "We are ready to help in any way we responsibly and legally can but I do urge Corus to listen to that plan with care and think again.

'Positive signs'

"This is a great workforce - skilled, committed, productive. They are part of Britain and Wales's future and not part of the past."

In a bid to boost confidence to a Wales-wide workforce which is continuing to reel from numerous blows over recent months, Mr Blair spoke of "positive signs".

While he said there had been wide-spread redundancies, he highlighted some of the jobs boosts including the creation of 1,700 new jobs at BAe's plant in Broughton, north Wales.

"Yes, there are knocks in the past few weeks, but there are also positive signs for Wales.

"There have been job losses this year but there have also been major job gains in recent months."