Burnham is to visit Scotland on Friday in direct challenge to SNP as 'depressed' members brand Swinney 'clueless' on independence
John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, whose claim that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's decision to visit during the Aberdeen conference proves independence is "got into his head.The SNP's "Choose Scotland" campaign will target nearly 1.5 million Scottish households with an independence survey, backed by a £100,000 budget.
Andy Burnham is to deliver his first speech as Prime Minister on Scottish soil on Friday — timing his visit to coincide with the SNP's Aberdeen conference in what the party's own veterans are calling a moment of crisis. Veteran Nationalist Alex Neil warned members are gripped by "utter depression" over John Swinney's lack of a strategy, saying senior figures "clearly don't have a clue" how to advance independence. Burnham, polling more popular in Scotland than Swinney himself, is expected to pledge help for young Scots into work and signal a more pragmatic stance on North Sea drilling.
The SNP launched its £100,000 'Choose Scotland' campaign — billed as the biggest pro-independence push since 2014 — as Swinney scrambles to regain momentum.
Stephen Flynn challenged Burnham to 'bring it on' and let Scots decide, while new polling shows Labour's bounce north of the border is half what it is in England.
Swinney had promised IndyRef2 with an SNP majority at Holyrood — he fell seven seats short, leaving his own members openly questioning his strategy.
