Key events
John Swinney urges Burnham to devolve more powers to Scottish government
In his statement ahead of the devolution summit in Glasgow today, Andy Burnham made it clear that he is interested in transferring more power from Edinburgh to Glasgow. (See 9.11am.) But John Swinney, the Scottish first minister, would rather talk about devolving further powers from London to Edinburgh. He issued this statement ahead of the meeting.
The prime minister has made devolution a central focus for his government. However the UK government must ensure that any devolution proposals respect devolution in Scotland. That means working with the Scottish government.
The Scottish government has put forward substantive proposals to the UK government on areas where further devolution would help grow Scotland’s economy and I will press the prime minister, and his government, to work with us to deliver those proposals.
The SNP wants Scotland to be fully independent (the ultimate version of devolution). But, pending that, it is also calling for the Scottish parliament to have power over policy areas currently reserved to London. Greater control over taxation, immigration, employment law and energy policy are particular priorities.
Burnham admits he would have liked more radical first budget
Andy Burnham has admitted his first budget as prime minister was not as radical as he would have liked because of the economic uncertainty facing the country, Kiran Stacey reports.
Burnham says he wants to offer more ‘regional empowerment’ ahead of devolution summit with Scottish and Welsh leaders
Good morning. Andy Burnham is in Glasgow today for a meeting with the leaders from Scotland and Wales and he says he wants to use it to talk about “the next stage of devolution”. According to the overnight briefing from No 10, he is less interested in giving more powers to the devolved parliaments and more interested in promoting “regional empowerment” in their countries.
In his pre-summit statement, Burnham says:
Through No 10 North, we are rewiring the state. I want to make sure every city and region in the United Kingdom is part of that.
Today I’ll be making an offer to the governments of each nation. Put politics aside and work in partnership with the UK government to develop models of regional empowerment that ensure communities can use their own strengths to unlock their potential.
This is the next stage of devolution. Together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Burnham is speaking at a time when Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have since the May elections (when Plaid Cymru won in Wales) for the first time had first ministers from nationalist parties that want to break away from the UK. John Swinney, the Scottish first minister, and Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Welsh first minister, will be at the meeting today. But Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Féin first minister from Northern Ireland won’t be there. She holds power jointly with a DUP deputy, and both of them have to stay away because the DUP has vetoed their attendance due to an ongoing row about Drumcree. Some officials will attend instead.
Downing Street says at today’s meeting Burnham “will say that devolution by default shouldn’t be about the transfer of powers from one parliament to another but should go deeper within nations to empower all places and communities who know best what they need to grow and access opportunities.”
Here is the agenda for the day.
Morning: Andy Burnham chairs a meeting of the national economic council in Glasgow.
11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
Afternoon (UK time): Ed Miliband is attending a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta in the US.
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