As many as 1300 jobs could go after ITV Digital pulled the plug on its pay-TV operations.

The jobs losses, which were announced on Tuesday, will go at call centres in Pembrokeshire and Plymouth

The move came after administrators Deloitte and Touche were unable to find a buyer for the beleaguered firm.

"Insufficient interest has been shown from prospective purchasers to justify a continuation of the operation," a spokesman said.

The Independent Television Commission confirmed that broadcasting licences for the channel would be made available from Wednesday.

Responding to the news, shadow culture secretary Tim Yeo called on the government to intervene.

"Now that ITV Digital's screens are going blank ministers must play their part in finding a solution to the crisis," he said.

"Before the ITC can arouse interest in the re-advertised licences the government must publish a timetable for increasing the strength and reach of the digital terrestrial television signal and mount a public information campaign so consumers understand what digital switchover involves and what this means for their televisions.

"The failure of ministers to take steps so far has damaged the prospects for DTT. Continued failure will sincerely threaten Britain's leadership of this important industry."

Speaking to the BBC, Liberal Democrat culture spokesman, Nick Harvey, claimed that free-to-air services on digital terrestrial television would have to be advertised, although no money was there to be made from these channels. "It is a dark day for digital television," he said.

The chairman of the Professional Footballers Association, Gordon Taylor, said many clubs could now be pushed to the limit.

"Clubs in division two or three are on a knife edge... the TV money can mean the difference between staying alive or going under," he warned.