Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to deliver economic growth "in every postcode" across the United Kingdom as he began a visit to Scotland during his first week in office.
Mr Burnham is holding talks in Glasgow on Thursday with Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and Wales' First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth before attending the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games later in the day.
The meetings are intended to set the tone for relations between the UK government and the devolved administrations, with the prime minister promising what he described as a "genuine partnership" with Scotland and Wales.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Mr Burnham said his government would prioritise practical measures to improve living standards rather than constitutional debates.
"When I say we need good growth in every postcode, I mean every postcode across the whole of the UK. Every place and every person matters," he said.
He added that his focus was "not on point scoring or discussing constitutional changes like referendums" but on policies aimed at easing pressure on households and "bringing back hope".
The prime minister highlighted one of his first measures in office – removing VAT from electricity bills – which the government says will reduce energy costs for millions of households this winter as part of its response to the cost-of-living crisis.
Downing Street said the government also plans to shift decision-making away from Westminster through a new initiative known as "No10 North", designed to spread investment and economic opportunities more evenly across the UK.
Ministers say the wider strategy includes re-industrialising the economy, increasing the use of public procurement to support British businesses and creating jobs in communities across the country.
Mr Burnham is expected to continue his nationwide tour in August with a visit to Northern Ireland, where he is due to meet First Minister and Deputy First Minister, alongside further visits across England, Scotland and Wales.
The government says the tour is intended to gather views from communities across the UK as it develops policies aimed at boosting regional growth and restoring confidence in public institutions. Photo by House of Commons, Wikimedia commons.
