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Gordon Brown's long-awaited constitutional blueprint for Labour revealed

Sir Keir Starmer asked Gordon Brown to carry out a constitutional review for Labour
Sir Keir Starmer asked Gordon Brown to carry out a constitutional review for Labour

LABOUR is toying with offering devolved government’s three-year funding deals and overhauling parliamentary standards, according to leaked draft plans drawn up by Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown, who has been undertaking a constitutional review recommends devolving new economic powers including over taxation to the UK nations and England, according to reports.

The review, seen by the Guardian, reportedly includes powers for local people to promote bills in parliament through democratically-elected bills and a constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights.

The SNP has labelled the leaked review “vague and flimsy”, adding that it is “a total flop that offers Scotland nothing”.

The Guardian also revealed the plans include Labour considering replacing the House of Lords with an upper house of nations and regions – a proposal announced by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in July.

READ MORE: Anas Sarwar unveils Labour's plans to abolish House of Lords and overhaul 'wounded' devolution

Local and devolved administrations would be given a minimum of three years’ funding under Mr Brown’s plans to give them certainty for longer-term planning – something the Scottish Government and Cosla have both called fir.

Mr Brown has also reportedly recommended a crackdown on standards in central government and parliament, including a jury of ordinary citizens being able to rule on complaints against MPs and ministers via a new integrity and ethics commission.

The former prime minister recommends banning most second jobs for MPs, already announced by Keir Starmer – while new codes of conduct could replace the ministerial code - giving the electoral commission the power to hand out larger fines.

According to reports, several Labour frontbenchers are scepitcal over the plans It had been hoped the final report would be launched around Labour’s UK conference, which starts on Sunday – but the document is now expected to be formally launched later this year.

Mr Brown’s plans include a recommendation to offer citizens a constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights, including a right to healthcare, education and social protection.

According to the Guardian, Mr Brown calls for regions to be the centres of new industries, pointing to financial services in Canary Wharf and video games in Dundee.

Sir Keir commissioned Mr Brown to undertake the review last year with the party leader insisting the plans would offer a “fresh and tangible offer” to voters to return to the party, including those lost to the SNP.

The Labour leader said the review would be “the boldest project Labour has embarked on for a generation and every bit as bold and radical as the programme of devolution that Labour delivered in the 1990s and 2000s”.

SNP Westminster deputy leader, Kirsten Oswald, said: "Gordon Brown's vague and flimsy review is a total flop that offers Scotland nothing.

“It would give Scotland zero protection from Brexit, Westminster austerity cuts, power grabs and repeated Tory governments we don't vote for.

"Worse still, the review is so weak and watered-down, that it actually breaks the promises that Mr Brown previously made and failed to deliver in 2014, when he pledged Scotland would have the maximum possible devolution and closest thing to federalism within two years.

"The fact that Mr Brown is left rehashing the same old stale commitment to abolish the House of Lords, which the Labour Party has repeatedly made and broken for more than a hundred years, tells you everything you need to know.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “This refers to one of several early drafts. The commission has yet to take a view on all these issues.”