Burnham is to offer Swinney a devolution deal as damning polls reveal Scots think SNP is OUT OF TOUCH
John Swinney faces a collapse in his personal approval rating, with 53 per cent of Scots now viewing him unfavourably against just 34 per cent favourably.The SNP's "Choose Scotland" campaign will target nearly 1.5 million Scottish households with an independence survey, backed by a £100,000 budget.
Two polls published as the SNP conference opened in Aberdeen show 62 per cent of Scots think the country is getting worse, with majorities calling the party incompetent, untrustworthy and serving its own interests. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is to visit North Lanarkshire on Friday to offer John Swinney a deal to push power away from both Westminster and Holyrood down to Scotland's cities and regions. Burnham is expected to argue that Scotland's devolved government is one of the most centralised administrations in Europe, and will call on Swinney to work with No.10 North on a new model of regional empowerment.
SNP transport secretary Stephen Flynn told conference delegates 'we are winning the argument' — but warned the period ahead will be the 'greatest challenge' the independence movement has ever faced.
Dissident SNP members met in a hotel away from the main conference after party chiefs blocked a motion raising voter concerns about currency, pensions and household finances from reaching the floor.
SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan dismissed Burnham as 'Labour's latest messiah' and declared Scotland is 'not hanging around' for a decade-long plan to fix 'Brexit Britain'.
