Burnham invites Swinney to work together on 'deeper Scottish devolution'
Source: BBC Politics ↗
Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first substantive visit to Scotland to urge First Minister John Swinney to hand over additional powers from Holyrood to local areas, framing the move as part of a “new deal for regional economic development” that could be launched within months. Speaking at an event in Motherwell, Burnham said devolution “was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament” when it opened in 1999 and should become “the start of something deeper” that gives communities more say in their own future. He offered to work with the Scottish government through “No10 North” to “rewire the state” and ensure that Scotland’s regions and cities are fully included in the UK’s broader reforms, emphasizing that there is “no limit to what we can achieve for the Scottish people” if both sides cooperate.
The push comes as the Scottish government has already outlined a radical overhaul of its local‑government structure, proposing to replace the 32 existing councils with six new regional authorities that would control major issues such as economic growth and education, while 120‑160 community authorities would handle more local matters like licensing and town‑centre improvements. Burnham praised the Scottish plan but argued it must “move faster,” and he signalled that the UK will not impose an English‑style metropolitan mayor model but instead hopes to negotiate a bespoke arrangement when he meets the devolved first ministers at the end of the month. SNP Westminster leader‑turned‑Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn welcomed the prospect of more economic powers for Scotland, noting that First Minister Swinney had sent a letter outlining points for engagement, including the devolution proposal.
While Burnham stressed the need to move beyond “tribal politics” and the constitutional debate over independence, he reiterated that a second Scottish independence referendum remains “off limits” and that the priority is to address the cost‑of‑living crisis affecting people in Scotland and across the UK. Swinney responded that he is “interested in working constructively” with Westminster and supports the Scottish Parliament having “as many powers as possible.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, however, criticised the regional devolution plan as “more jobs for the boys,” arguing Burnham should focus on granting new oil and gas licences in the North Sea instead. The upcoming discussions among the UK’s devolved leaders will determine whether the proposed deeper devolution proceeds and how it might reshape Scotland’s political and economic landscape.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Shifts in government policy can ripple into business confidence and investment.
- ▶Political risk is something markets price in almost instantly these days.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Family budgets close to home might absorb a small, slow-moving effect.
- ▶Local wages and hours worked might bend slightly with the wider trend.
🏦Rates & Banksmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶The market for money often twitches first when politics shifts.
- ▶A period of political uncertainty usually means a period of rate caution.
❤️Healthhigh impact
What this means for you
- ▶A short walk or a chat with a friend can do wonders when headlines feel heavy.
- ▶Local surgeries and clinics may see a short-lived rise in enquiries.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Savers with a clear plan tend to feel less rattled by a story like this.
- ▶Short-term wobbles like this tend to even out given enough time.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Anyone mid-purchase might want to keep an eye on how this unfolds.
- ▶The housing market has a habit of lagging behind the headlines.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.