Voters need to say "no thanks" to independence to combat poverty and help bring about greater equality, Labour's shadow Scottish secretary has argued.

Margaret Curran highlighted new research which showed average wages for workers can vary by at least £150 a week in neighbouring regions as she blasted the SNP's record on tackling inequality.

Ms Curran said the Scottish Government's focus on independence meant that "discussion about inequality within Scotland has all but ceased" .

She added that meant the issue had "fallen down the Scottish Government's list of priorities".

Ms Curran accused the Holyrood administration of "ignoring the inequalities that exist inside Scotland", adding that SNP ministers were "not taking the necessary action to tackle them".

She said there was "much more" that could be done to make Scotland "fairer and more equal".

"The best way to tackle inequality isn't with the powers the SNP proposes using with independence," Ms Curran said.

"Rather it is with taking advantage of the great wealth that exists inside the UK and making sure it gets to the places and people who need it. That is where I want to argue that the solution for Scotland lies.

"Not with the blunt tools of independence, but with the great strength that being part of the UK, with a strong Scottish Parliament, brings."

She insisted: "If we are to continue the fight to defeat poverty, and move forward to greater equality, we need to say no thanks to independence."

She spoke as new research carried out by the House of Commons Library revealed the difference in weekly earnings in Scotland.

"It means that average incomes in Aberdeenshire are now at least £150 a week higher than weekly earnings in Dumfries," Ms Curran said

"And that by stepping over the border from Edinburgh to Lothian, incomes drop by a similar amount."

The average gap in weekly incomes between Aberdeenshire and neighbouring Moray is "at least £150", according to Labour.

Ms Curran said how to tackle the problems of poverty and inequality was emerging as "one of the key themes" in the debate over Scotland's future.

"The simplistic way the SNP and the Yes campaign are presenting questions around inequality in the run-up to the referendum does not serve us well," she stated.

"The SNP want to say that the only gap in inequality that matters is between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

"But we are ignoring the inequalities that exist inside Scotland and aren't taking the necessary action to tackle them."

SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford hit back and said: "Powers to tackle economic inequality are reserved to the UK Government - so Margaret Curran's speech today only highlights the failings of Westminster and shows exactly why we need the full powers of independence.

"While Margaret Curran is absolutely right to point out that there is too much inequality in Scotland - it can't be forgotten that under Labour, the gap between rich and poor only grew wider, and the UK is the fourth most unequal country in the developed world. But the solution offered by Labour and the other Westminster parties is simply to offer more of the same.

"Scotland is a wealthier country in economic output per head than the UK, France and Japan.

"We can more than afford to be independent and with powers over welfare and pensions we can be a fairer country too - with a transformation in childcare provision and guaranteed rises in the minimum wage and pensions at least in line with the cost of living.

"What people in Scotland can't afford is more of the same from a Westminster establishment obsessed with austerity - with figures showing that Tory welfare cuts could push 100,000 more children in Scotland into poverty by 2020.

"With a Yes vote, the powers to tackle inequality will be in our hands - rather than in the hands of a distant Westminster establishment whose policies have failed for generations and are only making matters worse."