BORIS Johnson's report into how to strengthen the Union has been delayed for a second time.

The review, initially unveiled by Theresa May in July, was due to be published this Autumn, but was put off following the announcement of the General Election.

It was then expected to be published to coincide with the Prime Minister's reshuffle.

But a Cabinet Office spokeswoman told The National: "It won't be published today."

May asked Andrew Dunlop, an adviser to former Prime Minister David Cameron during the 2014 independence referendum, to draw up a report on how best to strengthen the Union amid Tory concerns.

It was to examine devolution and the workings between the UK government and the devolved nations.

Lord Dunlop will due to report to Johnson in the autumn and will consider ways to make sure the UK government is successfully making the case for maintaining the union, dubbed by Johnson “the awesome foursome”.

On the Cabinet Office website, the review is described as follows: "The successful devolution of powers to legislatures and Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has taken place gradually over the last twenty years via a succession of Acts of Parliament, including most recently the Scotland Act 2016 and the Wales Act 2017.

"Over that time the UK Government has adapted to meet this changing constitutional landscape while maintaining its primary responsibility of being a Government serving the whole United Kingdom. However, as the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is timely for the UK Government to consider how through its institutional arrangements it meets the challenge of strengthening and sustaining the Union in the future."

Scotland's Constitutional Affairs Secretary Michael Russell was among the senior politicians from devolved nations interviewed by Dunlop.