Andy Burnham will invite Scotland’s First Minister to work together with him on pushing power away from Holyrood and Westminster, as he makes a visit north of the border.
The Prime Minister will offer the olive branch to the SNP’s John Swinney as he visits Lanarkshire on Friday.
Scotland’s devolved government is one of the most centralised devolved administrations in Europe, Mr Burnham will emphasise, as he seeks to persuade Mr Swinney to follow his drive to share power with town halls across the nation.
Devolution has been a centrepoint of the Prime Minister’s agenda since he came to power in the summer, and he has insisted giving more control to regional mayors and authorities across England will help to boost economic growth.
His vision for further devolution in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland has been less clear, but the Prime Minister has said he will listen to the nations’ calls for further powers while advocating that they share more responsibilities with local authorities.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Lanarkshire on Friday (Gary Oakley/PA)
PA Wire
Giving more decision-making powers to Scotland’s cities and regions should be the next stage of Scottish devolution, Mr Burnham is expected to say during the visit, as it will help drive reindustrialisation.
Speaking ahead of the trip, he said: “During my first week in office, I told the First Minister that I wanted to work with him to spread opportunities to communities across Scotland’s regions and cities.
“Through No 10 North, we are rewiring the state and I want to make sure regions in Scotland are fully part of this.
“This is me making an offer to the Scottish Government. With us working together, there is no limit to what we can achieve for the Scottish people.”
The Scottish Secretary, Douglas Alexander, said: “Devolution has done a great deal, but power was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament.
“People in North Lanarkshire, in Fife or in the Highlands know what their communities need better than any minister, whether they sit in London or Edinburgh.
“The Prime Minister’s offer to the Scottish Government is a genuine one, and the Scotland Office is ready to roll up its sleeves alongside them to make it happen. Two governments, one goal – good jobs and real opportunity in every corner of Scotland.”
The Prime Minister’s visit comes as the SNP is holding its annual party conference.
The SNP’s deputy leader Keith Brown has invited Mr Burnham to speak at the gathering, claiming it would be the “perfect and natural place” for the Prime Minister to set out an agreed legal process for Scottish independence.
Mr Swinney was the only leader of a rival political party who was widely mentioned during the Prime Minister’s Labour party conference speech.
Mr Burnham said he was “utterly determined” to prove wrong the SNP leader’s prediction he will be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said it is “very welcome” that the Prime Minister is coming to Scotland to participate in the Scottish Government’s consultation on the opportunities posed by public service reform.
“The First Minister has been on record for many months saying that he wishes to work with Mr Burnham on this issue, and the further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament, and told him that personally when they met the last time he visited Scotland in July,” Ms Gilruth said.
“Our focus is on delivering stronger and efficient citizen-centred public services that are sustainable for generations to come, and our work on delivering the changes necessary to support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland has been taking place for over a month.”