Prime minister meets Scottish and Welsh leaders in Glasgow to discuss next stage of devolution

The prime minister travelled to Glasgow for a devolution summit with the heads of the Scottish and Welsh governments, according to The Guardian. In a statement ahead of the meeting, Andy Burnham said he wants to offer more “regional empowerment” and suggested transferring additional powers from Edinburgh to Glasgow. By contrast, Scottish first minister John Swinney said his focus is on devolving further powers from London to Edinburgh, adding that the Scottish government has submitted substantive proposals on areas that could boost Scotland’s economy. The Guardian noted that the UK government has made devolution a central focus of its agenda and must ensure any new arrangements respect existing Scottish devolution arrangements, which requires close work with the Scottish administration. Burnham said he will press the prime minister and his government to work with Scotland to deliver the proposals, underscoring the tension between the UK’s regional ambitions and Scotland’s demand for greater autonomy.

Why it matters

The talks could reshape the balance of power between Westminster and the devolved administrations, affecting policy control and economic development in Scotland and Wales.

Key details

Location

United Kingdom · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

30 Oct 2026, 15:03 IST

Key names

Glasgow, However the UK, Scottish, Edinburgh

Section

Politics

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianBurnham says he wants to offer more ‘regional empowerment’ ahead of devolution summit – UK politics live 30 Oct, 15:03

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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