SCOTTISH Labour deputy leader Anas Sarwar has been appointed the party's referendum campaign co-ordinator.

The campaign will be launched next year and run in parallel with the cross-party Better Together drive.

Annnouncing the move, the party's Scottish leader Johann Lamont said: "The referendum is the biggest political decision Scots will take in generations and Scottish Labour has a distinct role to play in making the positive case for the Union.

"Anas will bring real energy, drive and vision and I look forward to working with him as we take Labour's case to communities right across Scotland."

Mr Sarwar, the MP for Glasgow Central, said: "Labour's vision for Scotland is different from that of the Tories or LibDems and that is why there is a recognition that we need a Labour voice making the case for wealth redistribution, social justice, tackling poverty and how this can be better achieved by working in partnership with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"Better Together has a job to do but its job comes to an end after the referendum.

"While people of all political parties and none will play their part working with Better Together, Scottish Labour also has a different and distinctive role to play.

"I look forward to bringing the Labour family together in this challenge"

The Scottish Tories have already launched their own initiative, Conservative Friends of the Union, to campaign for Scotland to remain within the UK in the run-up to the 2014 vote.

Ms Lamont made the announcement as she prepared to mark her first year as party leader by setting out Labour's approach to education in a keynote speech in Glasgow today.

Labour sources sought to dampen speculation the party was set to back a return of tuition fees for Scots university students.

In a warning shot ahead of the speech, SNP MSP Clare Adamson, a member of Holyrood's education committee, said: "Johann Lamont should think very carefully before going down this path."