Steele worked as a station master and served on the board of the Lanark Co-operative Society.
Steele was elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Lanark in 1945, defeating future Prime Minister Lord Dunglass (Alec Douglas-Home), and served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of National Insurance.
He lost this seat back to Douglas-Home in 1950, but was elected for Dunbartonshire West at a by-election later that year.
He held this seat until he retired in 1970, to be replaced by Ian Campbell.
This article about a Labour Party member of Parliament representing a Scottish constituency is a stub.