Prime Minister Andy Burnham to propose local devolution deal in Scotland

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is visiting Scotland to offer Scottish First Minister John Swinney a joint initiative to devolve decision-making power away from Westminster and Holyrood. Burnham is scheduled to deliver a speech in Lanarkshire around midday calling for control to be pushed directly to local regions, councils, and towns. The Guardian, The Herald, and STV News all report that Burnham will invite Swinney to collaborate on the strategy. [1][2][5]

According to the London Evening Standard and Holyrood Website, the prime minister intends to highlight how power has become overly centralized in Scotland under the Scottish National Party government. Reports from the newswires cited by the Guardian show that Burnham wants decision-making shifted directly into local hands across Scottish communities. [1][3][4]

Burnham has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party since July 2026, having previously served as Mayor of Greater Manchester. The Scottish Government, established in 1999 following a referendum, currently holds legislative control over areas including education, healthcare, justice, housing, and public transport. [6][7]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has also recently focused on Scottish governance, using her autumn party conference speech to propose a review of devolution that could strip select powers from Holyrood. [9]