LABOUR should have prevented David Cameron launching a move for "English votes for English laws" while the Prime Minister was still panicking over Scottish independence, senior party figures believe.

The Conservatives have said that they plan to make English "home rule" an issue in next May's general election.

One Labour frontbencher said that the party should have seen Mr Cameron's move coming.

He said: "We gave the referendum campaign everything and were spent. They (Tories south of the border) did not - they had the energy to sit back and think about where it all went."

Other Labour sources pointed out that earlier this year Mr Cameron had committed himself to create a "stronger Scottish Parliament while retaining full representation for Scotland in the UK Parliament."

Yesterday Ed Miliband accused Mr Cameron of seeking to "divide" the UK.

He said: "He is learning the wrong lessons from Scotland.Because what he doesn't understand is that the lessons are of course about the constitution, but they are not about playing political tactics about England.

"David Cameron doesn't lie awake at night thinking about the United Kingdom. He lies awake at night thinking about the United Kingdom Independence Party, Ukip."

The Conservatives insist it would be unfair to give more devolution to Scotland and still allow Scottish MPs to vote on issues that affect only England.