Labour to back federal approach to 'renew' UK

Labour leader Kezia Dugdale will today unveil plans to make a federal UK the party's formal policy in Scotland.

Kezia Dugdale, Leader of Scottish Labour. Picture: John Devlin

A motion will be brought forward at the party’s conference in Perth later this month which calls for the UK to adopt a “progressive federal structure.”

Ms Dugdale will use a keynote speech in London today to call on the UK Labour party to establish a new constitutional convention to bring about a “ renewed partnership” between Scotland and the other UK nations.

While Ms Dugdale believes the UK is “deeply divided”, she insists that her party remains “firmly opposed” to a second referendum on Scottish independence.

In a speech at University College London, she will say: “To restore faith in our politics, build a more united society and create an economy that works for working people, I believe that we need to create a more federal UK.

“There should be a People’s Constitutional Convention, made up of citizens from across the United Kingdom, which should report before the next UK General Election. I believe we need a new Act of Union to save our Union for generations to come.”