Burnham calls summit of Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish first ministers

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that he will convene the first‑ever summit of the UK’s devolved leaders – the first ministers of Wales and Scotland and the first and deputy first ministers of Northern Ireland – at the National Economic Council in October. The declaration was made during Burnham’s inaugural official visit to Wales as prime minister, when he toured the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, met with workers, apprentices and senior executives, and outlined his ambition to “boost the UK economy” and secure “good jobs in every community”. He also signalled a willingness to discuss deeper devolution, suggesting Wales and Scotland could follow England’s model of granting more powers to cities and regions under mayoral leadership, and indicated openness to transferring policing responsibilities to the Welsh government and Senedd.

The summit is intended to revive the National Economic Council, a body created by Gordon Brown after the 2008 banking crisis and dormant until Burnham’s revival. It will serve as a platform for the four UK nations to coordinate economic policy, address regional disparities and explore shared challenges such as cost‑of‑living pressures and investment needs. Plaid Cymru’s deputy first minister Sioned Williams welcomed the move but cautioned that “the money has to be put where the mouth is”, emphasizing the need for tangible funding to deliver growth across every postcode. Burnham’s broader agenda includes extending powers to English regional mayors – including a share of income‑tax revenue and greater planning authority – and exploring constitutional reforms that could give Wales and Scotland more autonomy without bypassing their parliaments, a point raised by Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Reactions from the devolved administrations were cautiously supportive. Scottish First Minister John Swinney pledged constructive cooperation to build an economy that serves “people and the planet”, while noting ongoing discussions about constitutional arrangements and the powers needed for Scotland’s prosperity. The Welsh government expressed optimism about tackling shared challenges and supporting families amid the cost‑of‑living crisis, and highlighted the potential of Wales to host Europe’s first large‑scale green‑steel production at Port Talbot, which is being converted to electric‑arc furnace technology. Meanwhile, unions at Tata’s Llanwern plant flagged job pressures from cheaper imports following recent quota increases for countries such as South Korea, India and Vietnam, underscoring the broader industrial context that the upcoming summit will need to address.

⚡ Effects Interpreter