Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont urged the STUC in Dundee yesterday not to let the independence referendum "divide our movement or distract from our common purpose of creating a more just Scotland."

Ms Lamont stepped into the same cockpit as First Minister Alex Salmond endured on Monday, facing tough questions from delegates after her speech.

She said Mr Salmond's policies for an independent Scotland were more geared to bosses such as Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe and airline chief Willie Walsh.

"Their idea of a better Scotland is based on low wages and tax cuts, but it is not my idea of a fairer Scotland," she said.

The STUC welcomed her plan for a workers' charter, provisions against blacklisting and zero-hours contracts in the SNP's procurement Bill and support for the living wage.

Ms Lamont told teaching union EIS delegate Helen Connor that Labour would "redress the balance" of the SNP's further education cuts and won applause with a commitment to "empower local government and fund it properly."

Arthur West of Kilmarnock & Loudoun TUC challenged Scottish Labour policy on Trident replacement.

Ms Lamont said cutting nukes was something to be talked over "with the international community."

Ray Mennie of Dundee TUC challenged Ms Lamont on the European Union's frustration of progressive policies and pursuit of "a privatisation agenda detrimental to working people."

Ms Lamont said she would rather try to change the EU from the inside than leave.

Unison delegate Stephen Smellie asked if a Scottish Labour government would would rule out compulsory public-sector redundancies.

"We want to invest in public services and to protect the workforce," Ms Lamont said.

She also said that a separate currency would be the "only logical place to go" if the Scotland became independent.

STUC general secretary Grahame Smith welcomed Ms Lamont's "close understanding of the priorities of Scottish trade unions."

But he warned that her answers were unlikely to convince delegates that "the current policies of UK Labour will be sufficient to achieve our social justice ambitions for Scotland should there be a No vote in the referendum."