SNP accuses Burnham of acting like 'first prime minister of England' as he offers Scotland 'deeper devolution'

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth rounded on Andy Burnham at the SNP's Aberdeen conference, saying his major announcements "seem to be England only" and demanding he show "courage" by calling a second independence referendum. Burnham had travelled to Motherwell for his first major speech in Scotland since entering No 10, offering the SNP a deal on deeper devolution and localised employment powers. He said he wanted to "move on from the old politics of conflict" but pointedly refused to commit to a second independence vote, insisting his view on the Union "won't be changing". An MRP poll published today predicts Labour would win a majority if an election were held now, undermining the SNP's claim it would hold the balance of power in a hung parliament.

Gilruth mocked Burnham's 'Number 10 North' for being "firmly in the southern half of the UK."

Burnham challenged John Swinney directly: 'My message to John is simple — do you want to push economic power into Scotland's regions? If you do, let's agree on it.'

Scottish Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn pledged to 'take and run with' any of Burnham's good ideas — but insisted a referendum was the real shortcut to devolving power.