Plans to axe 900 whisky jobs will be discussed in the Scottish Parliament.

Michael McMahon, Scottish Labour’s business manager, has written to the SNP administration calling on First Minister Alex Salmond to make a statement on Diageo's proposals when MSPs return to Holyrood in September.

And Scottish Labour vowed if ministers did not make a statement on the matter, they would raise it in a members' debate.

It comes after drinks giant Diageo announced plans to close its Johnnie Walker bottling plant at Kilmarnock and the Port Dundas grain distillery in Glasgow, putting 900 jobs at risk.

Scottish Labour has called on Mr Salmond to make a statement in Holyrood on Wednesday September 2.

If that does not happen Patricia Ferguson, the MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, will raise the issue in a members' debate the following day.

Ms Ferguson claimed Diageo's plans were a "potentially devastating decision which will ruin the lives of almost 1,000 Scottish families in Glasgow and Kilmarnock".

She stated: "It is right that the issue is debated in the Scottish Parliament so we can be satisfied that the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise are doing all they can to save the jobs."

Politicians from all parties have been involved in the campaign to save the whisky jobs.

Ms Ferguson added: "We want to maintain the cross-party consensus which has been the hallmark of this campaign, but if the SNP fail to bring forward a debate we will do it at the first opportunity open to us."

Willie Bain, Scottish Labour's candidate in the forthcoming Glasgow North East by-election, said: "Local people in this part of Glasgow will welcome any and every opportunity to debate this issue and explain to Diageo why their plan is the wrong one for Scotland and for whisky."

Diageo has said it will "offset" the cuts with 400 new jobs at its Fife packaging plant.

As well as the Fife expansion, the drinks firm has said a coopering centre will be created in Clackmannanshire.

The company has stated there will be no compulsory redundancies at sites for one year.