Andy Burnham has said he wants to end the ‘old politics of conflict’ between Westminster and Scotland in a major speech setting out plans to put power in the ‘hands of local people’
The Prime Minster said he was making a ‘serious and genuine offer’ to John Swinney’s Scottish Government(Image: Jeff Mitchell/the Press Association)
Andy Burnham has said he wants to end the “old politics of conflict” between Westminster and Scotland in a major speech setting out plans to put power in the “hands of local people”.
The Prime Minister said he was making a “serious and genuine offer” to John Swinney’s Scottish Government to work with him on devolution north of the border.
As a first step, he outlined plans to see “localised employment support” in Scotland as part of an offer of devolution from the Department for Work and Pensions.
He admitted the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Labour government will not agree on everything, but said it does not mean they “can’t agree on anything”.
The speech is Mr Burnham’s first major intervention in Scotland since he became Prime Minister and was aptly timed to take place as the SNP held its annual conference in Aberdeen. First minister Mr Swinney told conference-goers that “of course” he would take the PM up on his offer of co-operation.
In a speech in Motherwell, Mr Burnham said: “When I walked up Downing Street and into No10, I was determined to push power out of it and into the hands of local people. That’s what this country needs, in my view, all over it, in all of the regions, in all of the nations, to rewire the state, rewire it so that it works right across the UK, and every postcode is empowered to do more for itself.
I” want everyone in Scotland to know that my reason in going back to Westminster is not to carry on with the old Westminster and Whitehall ways… I’m going back to change all of that. That’s why I’m Prime Minister.”
He said his experiences as Greater Manchester mayor had taught him the value of “moving away from the often patronising approach of public services” and “top-down tick-box systems that no one trusts”.
Speaking about the Scottish government, where the SNP holds a majority, the Prime Minister continued: “We won’t agree on everything, and we’re not going to, and we shouldn’t try because there are some things we will disagree on. But that does not mean, just because you can’t agree on everything, it doesn’t mean you can’t agree on anything. We can agree on some things and I know that because I’ve worked with John over a long period of time.”
He added: “I want to make a serious and genuine offer to the Scottish Government. I want to move on from the old politics of conflict.”
Mr Burnham said he wanted to design a new model of “regional economic empowerment” across Scotland, including an offer of devolution from the Department for Work and Pensions. That would mean “localised employment support”, similar to the one in England but shaped by the Scottish Government in Holyrood.
During a Q&A, Mr Burnham was asked whether he would categorically rule out a second independence referendum in Scotland under his leadership.
He said: “I am somebody who believes in all forms of unions, trade unions, definitely. I think unions of countries are better because you can face a challenging world in a more confident and stronger way, in my view, when you collaborate and you work together.”
He said he accepted Mr Swinney – who has said he wants a second referendum by 2031 – has a different view on this, adding: “But let’s accept there’s a different view there, and then work on together what we can agree on. My view won’t be changing, but let’s now move forward where we can make some progress.”
Speaking to journalists at the SNP conference ahead of Mr Burnham’s speech, Mr Swinney said: “The Prime Minister is very welcome in Scotland and I’ll be interested to hear what he’s got to say.”
He added that he, “of course”, would take the Prime Minister up on his offer of co-operation, saying: “I’ve got a track record throughout my political life of working to make sure as many powers as possible are exercised here in Scotland.”
