Overview
- The Prime Minister will meet Scotland’s First Minister in Glasgow Friday at a National Economic Council summit where he will present his No 10 North regional devolution offer.
- Andy Burnham is pushing for “deeper” devolution that would move powers from Westminster and from Holyrood down to regions and local communities as a way to drive investment and jobs.
- Burnham has ruled out a second Scottish independence referendum and is urging devolved leaders to put political disputes aside and work with the UK Government on practical models of regional empowerment.
- John Swinney says any transfer of powers must be agreed by the Scottish Government and plans to use the meeting to press the Prime Minister to engage with the substantive devolution proposals Holyrood has already submitted.
- No specific powers have been listed or agreed yet so the immediate watch points are which responsibilities both governments put on the table and whether they can reach a prior consented deal that changes how local services and economic decisions are made.