THE prospective Labour candidate to fill the shoes of Mo Mowlam has vowed to help repair the damage caused by major job losses at Corus and Cammell Laird.

Vera Baird, the party's candidate for Redcar, condemned Corus for the "cavalier and heartless way" it had dealt with hundreds of steelworkers.

She denounced the firm's "reckless disregard" of plans to save 360 jobs at the Lackenby coil plate mill, on Tuesday, and pledged her commitment to helping the area recover.

Ms Baird said she had written to Trade and Industry Secretary, Stephen Byers, to ask for "substantial support and regeneration aid".

She said: "I have also written to Sir Brian Moffat to ask him to take into account that the difference between saving this mill and losing it was a mere £2m."

On the closure of Cammell Laird's Teesside yard today, with the loss of 110 jobs, Ms Baird said: "It is sad that the receivers have acted with such haste. We are confident that the Labour Government will do everything possible to assist, for example, by directing work via the Ministry of Defence."