The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has made a public offer to the Scottish Government to work together on handing more power to Scotland's regions and cities, according to freshnews.uk. In a speech, he said the aim was to unlock jobs and opportunity in every part of the country.

Key points

  • The offer — Burnham wants Edinburgh and London to work jointly on a new model of regional empowerment for Scotland.
  • Who delivers it — the work would run through No10 North and the Scotland Office.
  • The argument — he says Holyrood is one of Europe's most centralised devolved administrations.
  • The claim — decision-making should sit closer to regions and cities to drive reindustrialisation.

Speaking after meeting young people in Lanarkshire, Burnham said devolution from Westminster over the past 27 years had been significant, but argued that power was never meant to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament. In his view, people who know their own areas best are not given enough of a say.

He said he had told the First Minister in his first week in office that he wanted to spread opportunities across Scotland's regions and cities, and that No10 North is part of an effort to rewire the state. "This is me making an offer to the Scottish Government," he said, adding that working together would let both governments achieve more for Scottish people.

The Scottish Secretary, Douglas Alexander, backed the approach. He said people in North Lanarkshire, Fife or the Highlands understand their communities better than any minister in London or Edinburgh, and described the Prime Minister's offer as genuine. He said the Scotland Office is ready to work alongside the Scottish Government, with both sides chasing the same goal of good jobs and real opportunity across Scotland.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

Nothing changes straight away. This is an offer rather than a decision, and any shift of powers would need agreement between two governments that do not always see eye to eye. For now, watch whether Edinburgh accepts, and which regions are named first.

  • Services and money — if regional bodies gain powers, decisions on transport, skills and local growth funding could move closer to home, but the timetable is unclear.
  • Who to watch — the Scotland Office and No10 North would run the work, so their announcements matter more than the speech itself.
  • What to do — if you deal with councils or local enterprise bodies, it is worth asking how new regional arrangements might affect you.