Trade unionists laid into laissez-faire politicians and shyster shareholders on Sunday as they sought to thrust renationalisation back on the agenda.

Scottish TUC policy officer Stephen Boyd told the crowd at the Morning Star's Arguments for Public Ownership conference in Glasgow that he was surprised that public ownership had not played a bigger role in the independence debate.

Most European countries see state ownership as a no-brainer, he said, with some national firms even profiting from rail contracts in Britain.