Labour risks becoming a party of ghosts representing a land that no longer exists if it resists English devolution to protect its Scottish power base, one of the party's senior MPs has indicated.

Frank Field insisted Labour must "speak for England" and crucially not try and "protect privileges" such as its large number of Scottish MPs, which in any case may diminish in the face of growing support for the SNP.

He criticised Labour's plan to hold a constitutional convention before deciding how to proceed with devolution within the UK, saying it was inevitable that there will eventually be four parliaments - for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

During a backbench debate on devolution, Mr Field told the Commons: "My great fear has always been that, for quite understandable reasons for the protection of our privileges, Labour might seem to be wishing not to speak for England.

"I think it's crucial if we are going to have a life as a party that we be seen not to be joining with this debate but actually leading it.

"The worry is that if we protect privileges which may not be our privileges in the next parliament anyway, with a large representation of Scottish Labour MPs in this House of Commons, we will increasingly be seen as a party of ghosts, representing a land which no longer exists."

He went on: "There are those siren voices who have been active in this debate since 1977 who have told us that we cannot move with constitutional changes unless we have these mega-conventions to debate what the issues are.

"The true fact is it's quite clear now what the constitutional settlement is going to be, whether we like it in this chamber or not.

"We are going to move to a situation where there are four parliaments, where England has its voice, Scotland has its voice, Wales has its voice and Northern Ireland has its voice."