Labour has published its plans to reform the UK and provide an alternative to independence.

The party has produced its Commission on the UK’s Future report, led by former prime minister Gordon Brown.

It includes abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with a second chamber, an Assembly of the Nations and Regions, “charged with safeguarding the institutions of self-government”.

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It also features more powers for the Scottish Parliament on the economy, social security and foreign affairs.

It also includes Scottish devolution being constitutionally protected.

It would allow the Scottish Government to enter into international agreements and join international bodies on devolved matters.

There would be a British Regional Investment Bank to “maximise support for innovation and investment in Scotland, in conjunction with the Scottish National Investment Bank and the European Investment Bank”.

Brown said: “The debate is no longer about the status quo and independence, yes and no, it’s about change led by Labour Party and leaving the UK by the SNP.”

The plan also means more devolution for regions and cities in England and Wales, with more power removed from Westminster and Whitehall to local government and city and regional mayors.

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He launched the report in Leeds and then spoke at an event in Edinburgh with Labour leader Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader.

Sarwar said: “This breaks away from the SNP position that anger and discontent only exists in Scotland. Anger and discontent exists in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Cardiff.

“The reality is in Scotland there is no majority for a referendum or independence but nor is there a majority for the status quo.

“But there is a majority for change. We are offering democratic renewal and economic renewal.”

The SNP dismissed the plans as ‘ignoring’ the Scottish people.

Keith Brown, SNP deputy leader, said: “After bigging it up for months and months, Gordon Brown has already undermined this report by saying Labour will ignore what the people of Scotland vote for if they reject Labour and impose theirs anyway.

"That is contemptuous. They are acting just like the Tories.

“It also shows they have disrespected their own promise in 2014 that power lay with the Scottish people to decide how Scotland is governed and it utterly humiliates Anas Sarwar by driving a coach and horses through his ‘principles’ for reform.”

The report was welcomed by electoral reform campaigners.

Dr Jess Garland, director of policy and research, Electoral Reform Society, said: "We welcome Labour’s proposals for renewing out democracy - a clear sign that Labour is correctly putting democracy at the heart of their plans to modernise Britain. 

“From further devolving powers to local communities, cleaning up our elections by taking big money out of politics, to the overdue abolition of the unelected and unaccountable House of Lords, these proposals offer a blueprint for much-needed democratic renewal.”