For more than a decade there have been discussions within Scottish Labour about making the party more autonomous within the UK Labour family.

At the annual conference in Liverpool this week, I became the leader who finally delivered what our members have wanted for so long.

It took a great deal of determination and patience. And the hard work was justified when it came to a conference vote, with the proposal receiving the overwhelming support of delegates - who in turn represent hundreds of thousands of members and supporters.

I understand that for many voters across Scotland who watched this battle on the TV news bulletins, this will appear like navel-gazing. But it is a vital step in making the Labour Party fit for the future.

Scotland needs a strong Labour Party. It is Labour that has held the Nationalist government to account: just this week winning support in the chamber for our campaign to reverse SNP cuts to local health services.

The in-tray for the SNP Government is overflowing - the attainment gap between the richest and the rest in our classrooms, an NHS in distress, unacceptable levels of child poverty, and 150,000 Scots trapped on housing waiting lists.

But as a result of further devolution, Scottish Governments have the ability to make different choices to the Tory Government in Westminster.

That's why I have been calling for a renewed focus on the day job from the SNP and have put forward a plan to ask those earning more than £150,000-a-year to pay more tax.

It was the Labour Party that delivered devolution to Scotland and Wales in the first place: one of our proudest achievements. But we failed to devolve our own party at the same time.

It is therefore right that as devolution strengthens across the UK, then so too must Scottish Labour change to reflect that. That means Scottish Labour having a seat on the party's rule making body, the National Executive Committee.

Given the vital importance of this role, and my mandate from 72% of members in last year's leadership election, I will join the NEC. I will be a loud and passionate voice for Scotland's interests within the UK wide Labour family.

It was as long ago as 2011 that my colleague Ann McKechin published an internal review that called for Scottish Labour to be granted greater autonomy and become more closely tied to the Scottish Parliament.

She said at the time: "In 1999, we devolved power in our country and set in place a Scottish parliament with massive power and massive potential. But we forgot to devolve our party. We have put off these changes for too long and there is no doubt they have contributed to a lack of effective and co-ordinated policy making."

My predecessors Iain Gray, Johann Lamont and Jim Murphy were also clear that they wanted more autonomy.

Last year, UK leader Jeremy Corbyn and I signed a joint statement, which set out our proposals. It was a historic step for the Scottish Labour Party.

We agreed that "Scottish Labour will become a more autonomous party" and added: "This will be a major change in the way we operate and will put beyond doubt the fact that decisions about Scottish Labour will be taken by Scottish Labour."

Labour is a proud democratic socialist party and this was followed by a consultation of our members.

Overwhelmingly, Scottish Labour members told me that more autonomy within the UK Labour Party was what they wanted.

I then secured the support of the Scottish Executive Committee, the NEC and then - earlier this week - conference delegates.

In summary, the change will mean:

These reforms will be the biggest changes we've seen to how the Scottish Labour Party is run in a generation and is the culmination of years of work.

Scottish Labour is now better placed to stand up for Labour values in Scotland, something the nation needs more than ever.

Comment by Kezia Dugdale, leader of the Scottish Labour Party.