Four nations must ‘move at same pace together’, Burnham says on devolution
The four nations must “move at the same pace together”, Andy Burnham has said amid questions about the scope of devolution within his offer to first ministers.
The Prime Minister met leaders from Scotland and Wales and representatives from Northern Ireland to discuss handing regions more powers to control employment support and funding for reindustrialisation.
SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth both want a wider conversation about independence, but Mr Burnham has ruled out holding referendums on the issue.
Speaking to reporters after the first National Economic Council for the nations in Glasgow on Friday, the Prime Minister highlighted plans for devolution at the regional level, saying he wanted to ensure no one country was “left behind”.
“It’s really important that we all move at the same pace together, and I won’t allow anything to delay that,” he said.
“Growth can’t wait. People need to see improvements in employment and in living standards in all parts of the UK.”
Northern Ireland was represented by officials at the meeting amid the political fallout from the Drumcree parade dispute.
Asked whether he had offered the devolved administrations any additional powers, Mr Burnham said: “We had a good discussion today on two fronts.
“One around reindustrialisation and the offer of more devolution of innovation funding to the regional level.
“It’s about creating those structures at a regional level and that’s a matter for Scotland and Wales to decide what that looks like in both countries.
“It’s not for me to impose or try to interfere there. But once there is a vehicle that can be backed by the Scottish Government, it can be backed by the UK Government, both coming together to work jointly, and in the context of reindustrialisation, more devolution of innovation funding.”
He added: “Secondly, we had a conversation about employment support, and particularly young people. There are too many young people out of work here in Scotland, in Wales, and in England too.”
He said the Government would look at “arrangements for further devolution of employment support, particularly for young people in both Scotland and Wales” following the meeting.
The Prime Minister has put devolution at the heart of his policy agenda since entering Downing Street this summer, pledging to “rewire the state” and hand more control to regional mayors and authorities across England in a bid to boost growth.
His vision for further devolution at the national level has been less clear, but the Prime Minister has said he will listen to the administrations’ calls for further powers while advocating that they share more responsibilities with local authorities.
Speaking to the Press Association after the meetings, Mr Swinney described them as “constructive”, adding: “We explored a number of issues of domestic significance to Scotland and also issues in relation to the devolution of further powers to Scotland in the area of employability and in the work of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
“We’ve agreed to take forward the detailed work in those areas and the Scottish Government will engage constructively to make sure that we secure more responsibilities to be exercised here in Scotland that advances and improves the lives of the people of our country.”
Earlier this month, Mr Swinney sent a letter to the Prime Minister proposing more powers for Holyrood, which – according to the First Minister – Mr Burnham “agreed to consider”.
A readout from Downing Street described the meeting as “extremely positive”, adding that there will be a “policy sprint” spearheaded by Number 10 North to work towards “regional empowerment, reindustrialisation and achieving good growth in every postcode”.
The First Minister was joined in his meeting by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth while Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander accompanied the Prime Minister.
Mr Swinney and Mr Alexander have had a terse relationship in recent years, with the First Minister saying the minister was “not a force for good”.
But he told PA he will not let “operational difficulties” get in the way of “improving the lives of the people of Scotland”.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who is also visiting Scotland on Friday, said UK ministers want to see the Scottish Government transfer more control out of Holyrood.
Referring to Mr Burnham, he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast: “He’s power to the people.
“What we’re doing in England is devolving a lot more power, responsibility and resources, not just one government to another, but right down to communities.
“I don’t want to sound too critical of the Scottish Government, because the Prime Minister is looking to have a constructive meeting with the First Minister today, and when Andy Burnham talks about problem solving, not point scoring, he genuinely means it.
“I would just say to the Scottish Government, one of the critiques we have … is that for the Scottish Government devolution is often about transferring power, responsibility, resources from Westminster to Holyrood and the challenge Andy Burnham is setting out is ‘what about devolving more power also from Holyrood to local government across Scotland’.”
Asked if the UK Government might seek to impose such a system in Scotland, Mr Streeting said: “Wherever possible we prefer to work in partnership with the Scottish Government constructively.”
He added: “We’ve got fundamental differences with the SNP on a number of issues, not least the future of the UK. But that doesn’t mean we can’t work constructively with the Scottish Government, we respect the fact that the people of Scotland re-elected an SNP-led government, so we want to work constructively with people.
“That is the sort of tone you are going to hear from Andy Burnham today.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub