Scotland must not be an “afterthought” for the UK Government, the First Minister has said as he called for the Grangemouth refinery to be nationalised.

The calls come after UK ministers fast-tracked plans to nationalise the British Steel site at Scunthorpe to keep it open.

But Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill accused the Scottish Government and SNP MPs of “manufacturing grievance”, claiming the two industrial sites are not in similar situations.

Owners Petroineos announced plans to shutter the Grangemouth refinery last year and it was confirmed in recent weeks that 377 workers have accepted voluntary redundancy, with a further 28 compulsory redundancies.

I'm determined to make sure that Scotland is not viewed as an afterthought

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the First Minister said: “If British Steel is to be nationalised to protect it, then so too should Grangemouth.”

He added: “I’m determined to make sure that Scotland is not viewed as an afterthought.”

The First Minister agreed with his party’s energy spokesman at Westminster, Dave Doogan, who said on Monday morning that the UK Government would be prepared to see the refinery “wither” because it was in Scotland.

“There has been a real sense of urgency delivered by the UK Government in relation to Scunthorpe,” the First Minister said.

“My Government has acted with urgency in different circumstances in the past when we have been able and had the resources to do so, whether that’s been around actions in relations to the Lochaber smelter, or whether that’s been about Ferguson’s shipyard or Prestwick Airport.

“So, there is a need for activism in Government and I certainly would align myself with the comments that Dave Doogan has made that it’s important that we have that activism available from governments so that we can deliver for the people in the country.”

Mr Swinney’s comments joined calls from his party’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, and Labour’s Alloa and Grangemouth MP, Brian Leishman.

But speaking on BBC Radio Scotland on Monday, Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill said: “These situations are different, which is why this interventionist UK Government has an industrial strategy that matches solutions to the problems at hand.”

She added: “In the end, they’re having a conversation about Grangemouth today because they’re manufacturing a grievance.

“We, by contrast have taken serious action from the minute we got in (office) in July.”

Asked if the Scottish Government has explored the nationalisation of the plant, the First Minister said the financial burden that would have to be shouldered would require a joint venture with UK ministers.

A Petroineos spokesperson said: “If governments had wanted to seriously consider different ownership models, the time to start that work was five years ago when we first alerted them to the challenges at the refinery.

“We have also been clear throughout about the fundamental operational challenges and the scale of losses incurred.

“Now that decisions regarding the refinery’s future have been taken, Project Willow (the plan to develop low carbon alternative energy sources at the site) offers a clear pathway forward and it is vital all parties now co-develop a bright future for Grangemouth, producing low-carbon fuel and eventually creating hundreds of skilled jobs here again.”