Leading veterinary charity PDSA welcomed Labour MP for Edinburgh South West, Dr Scott Arthur, to its Edinburgh Pet Hospital last week.
During the visit, Dr Arthur met with PDSA Regional Manager John Faulkner and saw first-hand the vital veterinary care being provided to pets and owners across the local community. The Pet Hospital employs more than 30 people from the local area and last year alone treated more than 10,500 pets.
The visit included a tour of the Hospital, as well as the opportunity to meet the veterinary team and learn more about growing pressures on veterinary services, as well as the increasing challenges facing pet owners.
Discussions focused on the findings of PDSA’s Pet Health Inequality Report, including the impact of rising pet ownership costs and the wider cost-of-living pressures affecting owners’ ability to access veterinary care.
PDSA Regional Manager John Faulkner said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Dr Scott Arthur to our Edinburgh Pet Hospital and show him the work our dedicated team carries out every day to support pets and owners in the local community who need us most.”
PDSA’s mission is to keep people and pets together by providing support for owners who cannot afford the cost of treatment. In the last year, the charity treated over 422,000 pets and supported more than 339,000 clients across its network of over 40 Pet Hospitals.
The Edinburgh PDSA Pet Hospital provides fully funded and low-cost veterinary services to eligible people across central and coastal Edinburgh east to Musselburgh and Tranent, south to Penicuik and Gorebridge, west through the airport corridor to South Queensferry, Livingston, Bathgate and Bo’ness, covering almost the entire Edinburgh commuter belt.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr Scott Arthur MP said: “It was a privilege to visit the Edinburgh Pet Hospital and see first-hand the invaluable work the team does. PDSA really is an indispensable lifeline for vulnerable pet owners across Edinburgh, ensuring that financial hardship is never a barrier to accessing essential veterinary care.
“It was helpful to hear about the pressures facing both pet owners and veterinary professionals, particularly as the rising cost of living continues to affect households. Seeing how busy the hospital is and learning more about the charity’s work, including the support it provides to eligible pet owners, really highlighted the growing demand for these essential services.
“I was also pleased to hear about the ways PDSA helps improve pet wellbeing through resources such as the Pet Health Hub.
“I am grateful to the team for taking the time to share their experiences and for the essential service they provide to our community.”
John Faulkner added: “Pets are cherished members of the family, and no owner should have to choose between caring for themselves and caring for their pet.
“Visits like this are an important opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges facing pet owners, as well as the vital role PDSA plays in supporting communities across the UK.”
PICTURES L-R: Senior Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA Andrew Hogg, Labour MP for Edinburgh South West Dr Scott Arthur, PDSA Regional Manager John Faulkner and PDSA Education Lead Anna Baggott
No one should leave their place of worship fearing they may not make it home safely (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURYMBE). Yet that is the reality members of Edinburgh’s Muslim community faced following the recent series of appalling attacks that left innocent people injured simply because of their faith.
These attacks were not only an assault on those individuals. They were an attack on the values that define Edinburgh and Scotland: respect, equality, freedom of religion and the belief that everyone should be able to live their lives without fear.
They also serve as a reminder that racism, religious hatred and prejudice have not disappeared. Across the United Kingdom, we have seen a worrying rise in hate crime directed at people because of their race, religion, ethnicity or background.
We must never become complacent. Every act of hatred, regardless of who it targets, is an attack on the values of fairness, equality and mutual respect that bind our society together.
My thoughts remain with those who were injured, their families and everyone who has felt fear, anxiety and uncertainty as a result of these deeply disturbing events. I also commend the courage of those who came forward to assist the victims and support the police investigation.
During my five years in the Scottish Parliament, I made community safety, equality and tackling hatred central to my work. I consistently raised issues relating to policing, hate crime, racism, Islamophobia, protecting vulnerable communities and ensuring that our emergency services had the resources they needed to keep people safe. I questioned ministers on community safety, challenged the rise in racism and anti-Muslim hatred, and consistently argued that prevention, engagement and visible policing are essential to building safer communities.
In March 2025, I raised the issue of rising Islamophobia directly with the First Minister following reports that anti-Muslim hate incidents had reached record levels across the United Kingdom. During Ramadan, I reminded Parliament that it is a month of peace, compassion and reflection, and I asked what further action could be taken to ensure that Muslim communities across Scotland felt safe and protected. Sadly, those concerns remain just as relevant today.
My work did not stop inside Parliament. Before, during and after my time as an MSP, I worked closely with the Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC), Police Scotland, local authorities, faith leaders and community organisations to tackle racism, promote equality, strengthen community cohesion and encourage dialogue between people of different faiths and backgrounds.
Through ELREC and many other partnerships, I have supported initiatives that bring communities together, challenge discrimination and build trust between public services and the people they serve.
As Chair of the Cross Party Group on Challenging Racial and Religious Prejudice, I brought together Police Scotland, equality organisations, academics, faith representatives and community leaders to address racism, religious hatred and discrimination. Those discussions reinforced my belief that tackling hatred requires long term commitment, education, partnership and leadership.
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Throughout my time in Parliament, I also argued that Police Scotland should be properly funded. Our officers are expected to deal with increasingly complex challenges, including terrorism, organised crime, hate crime, cybercrime, violence against women and girls and the protection of vulnerable people. They cannot continue to be asked to do more with fewer resources. Proper investment in policing is an investment in safer communities.
The professionalism shown by Police Scotland throughout this investigation deserves the highest praise. Officers responded swiftly, carried out a thorough investigation and worked tirelessly to identify and arrest a suspect.
The involvement of specialist counter terrorism officers demonstrated that every available resource would be used to investigate these serious allegations thoroughly. Their dedication and professionalism should give reassurance to every community across Edinburgh and Scotland.
I know from my own experience working alongside Police Scotland over many years that officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep the public safe. They deserve our gratitude, our respect and the resources necessary to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
I would like to thank every officer involved in this investigation for their commitment, professionalism and compassion during what has been an extremely difficult time for those affected.
What has also given me hope is the response from the people of Edinburgh.
In the days following these attacks, faith leaders, community organisations, charities, volunteers, elected representatives and residents from every background stood alongside the victims and their families. They demonstrated that the values of compassion, respect and solidarity are stronger than hatred.
This is the true character of Edinburgh. We are a city built on diversity, where people from different cultures, faiths and backgrounds live, work, study and contribute together. The Muslim community has made an enormous contribution to our city’s success through business, healthcare, education, public service, charity and civic life. An attack on one community is an attack on us all.
We must continue to challenge racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti Sikh hatred, anti Hindu hatred, prejudice against Christians and every other form of discrimination wherever it appears.
Hatred does not begin with violence. It often begins with harmful language, stereotypes and intolerance. If we are serious about building a safer Scotland, we must challenge prejudice at every stage before it escalates into acts of violence.
Education, community engagement and early intervention are just as important as strong law enforcement. Building trust between communities and public institutions is one of the most effective ways of preventing hatred from taking root.
Throughout my public life, whether serving in the Scottish Parliament or working with organisations such as ELREC, I have believed that diversity is one of Scotland’s greatest strengths. We must never allow those who spread hatred to undermine the progress we have made in building a fairer, more inclusive and more compassionate nation.
Scotland has earned an international reputation as an open, welcoming and inclusive nation. We must never take that reputation for granted. It requires continued leadership, properly funded public services, strong policing, active community organisations and a collective determination to protect the values that unite us.
Hatred seeks to divide. Edinburgh chose unity.
Violence seeks to create fear. Our communities responded with compassion.
Extremism seeks to isolate people because of their faith. Scotland responded with resilience.
I commend Police Scotland for their professionalism, determination and reassurance throughout this investigation. I remain convinced that they must continue to receive the funding, officers and specialist resources they need to protect every community across our country. Supporting our police is not simply about law enforcement. It is about safeguarding the values of justice, equality and security that define Scotland.
The true measure of a society is not whether hatred exists, but how people respond when it appears. Edinburgh’s response has shown the very best of our city. Our police, our community organisations, our faith leaders and our residents stood together. They refused to allow hatred to divide our city.
That is the Edinburgh I have always worked to serve.
That is the Scotland I believe in.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Former Member of the Scottish Parliament & Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.
NHS Rich List finds that 574 senior NHS managers had higher salaries than the prime minister, an increase of 12 per cent in a single year.
1,758 senior managers received more than £100,000 in total remuneration in 2024-25. This is an increase of 3.8 per cent from 2023-24.
The number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration more than doubled to 292 people. An increase of 134 per cent in a single year.
TaxPayers’ Alliance research presents senior salaries alongside A&E waiting times, revealing failing hospital bosses taking pay rises in defiance of Labour pledge to link pay and performance.
Following the appointment of Yvette Cooper as the new health secretary, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) today reveals there were 574 senior managers in the NHS on a higher salary than the prime minister last year.
The NHS Rich List shows that across the 220 NHS Trusts, 1,758 senior managers received over £100,000 in total remuneration, with the number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration more than doubling to 292.
While few would disagree with paying doctors and nurses properly, the NHS Rich List shows that managers in hospitals with poor A&E performance and long waiting times from referral to treatment (RTT) are still picking up handsome remuneration packages at taxpayers’ expense.
Total remuneration includes salary, expenses, benefits, bonuses and pension contributions. Looking at salaries alone, 1,603 managers had salary entitlements of at least £100,000, including 319 receiving between £200,000 and £300,000, and 17 who received over £300,000.
After the previous health secretary Wes Streeting announced that NHS leaders would face a new carrot and stick performance drive, the TPA is calling on the new health secretary Yvette Cooper to follow through with these plans and properly link performance to pay inside the NHS.
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals had the senior manager with the highest salary in 2024-25, with chief executive, J Mackey, receiving £377,500, including up to £94,000 moonlighting in other NHS jobs. The trust was ranked 41 out of 140 in England for A&E waiting times.
The worst performing trust for A&E waiting times was East Cheshire for the second consecutive year. The chief executive officer, G J Murphy, had a total remuneration package of £377,500 in 2024-25, rising from £172,500 in 2023-24 despite the persistent poor A&E waiting times. The trust had 7 senior managers who received over £100,000 in total remuneration overall.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had the worst referral to treatment waiting time of 149 trusts, ranking last for the second consecutive year. The chief medical director, Catherine Walsh, had total remuneration of £322,500 in 2024-25.
In 2024-25, there were 1,758 senior managers receiving £100,000 or more in total remuneration (comprising salary, expenses, benefits, bonuses and pension benefits) across 220 NHS trusts, an increase of 3.8 per cent from 2023-24.
Of these, 1,603 had a salary of £100,000 or more, comprising:
17 who had salaries over £300,000
319 who had salaries between £200,000 and £300,000
1,267 who had salaries between £100,000 and £200,000
574 senior managers had a salary greater than the prime minister’s £172,153 salary entitlement in 2024-25, up from 512 in 2023-24, an increase of 12 per cent.
574 senior managers had a salary greater than the prime minister’s £172,153 salary entitlement in 2024-25, up from 512 in 2023-24, an increase of 12 per cent.
The number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration increased by 134 per cent in a single year, rising from 125 in 2023-24 to 292 in 2024-25.
Highest salary
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals had the senior manager with the highest salary in 2024-25, with chief executive, J Mackey, receiving £377,500 (£382,500 total remuneration). The trust was ranked 41 out of 140 in England for A&E waiting time.
This was followed by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, where chief medical officer, M Van Der Watt, received £372,500 in 2024-25 (£372,500 total remuneration).
Next was Guy’s and St Thomas’, where chief executive, I Abbs, received a salary of £337,500 in 2024-25 (£347,500 total remuneration).
Highest salary in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish NHS organisations
Crawford McGuffie, medical director at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, was the senior manager with the highest salary in Scotland in 2024-25, at £247,500. The trust was ranked 11 of 14 for A&E waiting times in Scotland.
C Shillabeer, chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, had the highest salary of any senior manager in Wales in 2024-25 at £262,500. The health board was ranked 6 of 7 for RTT waiting time and 7 of 7 for A&E waiting time in Wales.
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust had the senior manager with the highest salary in Northern Ireland in 2024-25, with medical director, C Martyn, receiving £242,500.
Notable individuals
Nottingham University Hospitals was ranked 133 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 131 of 140 for A&E waiting times in England. Their chief nurse, T Pilcher, had total remuneration of £712,500 in 2024-25.
Chesterfield Royal Hospital was ranked 136 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 124 of 140for A&E waiting times in England. Their medical director, Kevin Sargen, had a total remuneration of £542,500 in 2024-25.
University Hospitals Sussex was ranked 144 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 122 of 140 for A&E waiting times in England. Their chief executive, George Findley, received £492,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25, including £32,500 in performance pay.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board was ranked last (7 of 7) for RTT waiting times and 5 of 7 for A&E waiting times in Wales. Executive director of therapies and health science, Emma Cooke, received £367,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25.
NHS Lanarkshire ranked 14 of 14 for A&E waiting times in Scotland. Their medical director, C Deighan, received £462,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25.
Best and worst performing trusts by A&E waiting time (England)
Humber Teaching had the best A&E waiting time of 140 trusts. Six senior managers received over £100,000 in remuneration. The senior manager with the highest total remuneration in the trust was medical director, Kwame Opoku-Fofie, at £272,500 in 2024-25.
East Cheshire remained the worst performing trust for A&E waiting times for the second consecutive year, ranking last in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. The chief executive officer, G J Murphy, had total remuneration of £377,500 in 2024-25, rising from £172,500 in 2023-24 despite the persistent poor A&E waiting times.
Best and worst performing trusts by RTT waiting time (England)
Mersey Care had the best RTT waiting time of 149 trusts. The senior manager with the highest total remuneration in the trust was chief nurse and director of infection, prevention and control, Jenny Hurst, at £297,500 in 2024-25.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had the worst RTT waiting time of 149 trusts, ranking last for the second consecutive year. The chief medical director, Catherine Walsh, had total remuneration of £322,500 in 2024-25.
Highest salary by function
Digital: Neil Darvill, chief digital information officer shared between North Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, had the highest salary within this function at £195,000 in 2024-25.
HR: Ajit Abraham, group director of inclusion and equity at Barts Health, had the highest salary within this function at £232,500 in 2024-25.
Strategy: Shane Gordon, director of strategy, research and innovation at East Suffolk and North Essex, had the highest salary within this function at £247,500 in 2024-25.
Finance: Roy Clarke, chief financial officer at King’s College Hospital, had the highest salary within this function at £267,500 in 2024-25.
Responding to the findings, Rt. Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Shadow Health Secretary, said:“Running the NHS is a demanding job and managers should be rewarded for delivering results. But paying managers large bonuses while patients receive poor care is not good value for taxpayers or fair on NHS frontline staff.
“Labour is handing out bonuses while patients bear the brunt of long waits and poor performance. Funding should be focused on frontline services and better patient care, not bigger payouts for managers.
“The Conservatives know the NHS needs serious reform. Every pound should deliver better care for patients and better value for taxpayers.”
Anne Strickland, researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:“Taxpayers will be appalled that NHS executive pay is soaring while patients are still left waiting for care.
“Andy Burnham’s new government has an early opportunity to show taxpayers that it will get a grip on this culture of rewarding failure.
“Ministers must keep their promise to link performance to pay, so that failing NHS bosses are held accountable and money goes into patients’ care not managers’ pockets. ”
First Minister John Swinney has welcomed continued progress in controlling the Cairngorms wildfires as he chaired another meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) yesterday afternoon (Sunday).
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth, Justice Secretary Neil Gray and Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin were also in attendance, along with representatives from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Police Scotland, Highland Council and Cairngorms National Park.
The SFRS confirmed that a Level 3 response will continue and reported positive progress in controlling the outbreak.
Additional support for residents in Nethy Bridge remains in place through the Local Resilience Partnership.
The First Minister said: “As our emergency services and partners continue to tackle the wildfires in the Cairngorms, I am pleased to see there has been welcome progress and I thank all again for their continued hard work and collaboration.
“The Scottish Government requested military assistance, in the form of aerial support to drop water on the fire, from the Ministry of Defence to supplement existing aerial resources that are in place.
We have received a formal response advising that the UK Government are not in a position to agree to this request, given that the Ministry of Defence does not possess aerial firefighting assets stationed within the UK. The offer of other resources is welcome but SFRS has confirmed they have the other resources they need.
“Ministers will continue to be updated on the fire and resources and services will remain until the fire is out.
“As I stated earlier, this wildfire is being treated with the utmost seriousness and necessary resources will be in place until the last flames are out.”
From Liz Truss and Keir Starmer to JFK conspiracies and razor-sharp satire, theSpaceUK’s political programme proves that truth is still stranger than fiction.
Politics has never been short of drama, but at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, theSpaceUK is inviting audiences to look beyond the headlines – or, at the very least, beyond the latest Truth Social post.
Leading the line-up is broadcaster and political commentator Steve Richards, whose hugely popular Steve Richards Presents Rock and Roll Politics returns to the Fringe. With the halls of Westminster continuing to deliver twists that few could have predicted, Richards superb show combines forensic political analysis with his trademark “unreliable” predictions, making it a new show every day as events continue to unfold.
Current politics also comes under scrutiny in The Unsolvable Case of Keir Starmer, from Chasing Rainbows. Through a series of imagined therapy sessions, the play charts Starmer’s journey from respected lawyer to Prime Minister, asking where it all began to unravel.
Political history comes under the microscope in The Umbrella Man: What We Talk About When We Talk About the JFK Assassination, written and performed by Martin Fitzgerald. Rather than simply retreading old conspiracy theories, the show shines a light on the ordinary people who happened to be in Dealey Plaza on that fateful day.
A show that should last longer than a lettuce is The Last Days Of Liz Truss?, from Oxia Theatre Company and Emma Wilkinson Wright. Set on the former Prime Minister’s final morning in Downing Street, the award-winning production is part comedy, all tragedy. Following a West End transfer to The Other Palace earlier this year, the show comes to Edinburgh with Emma Wilkinson Wright’s acclaimed portrayal of one of Britain’s most extraordinary political figures
Meanwhile, The Painted Revolutionary, presented by Tip Top Theatre Collective, approaches politics from an entirely different angle. In this biting new satire, abstract political concepts become flawed, recognisable characters, with Struggle, Order and others navigating questions of responsibility, power and change. This is an imaginative examination of political ideals and the messy reality of putting them into practice
Closer to home, Cubicle Dialogue, presented by the University of York Drama Society, relocates political conflict to the fluorescent-lit offices of a struggling local authority. As Labour falters nationally and Reform rises locally, civil servants and councillors find it increasingly difficult to maintain neutrality. Part workplace comedy and all political satire.
If the news has left you bewildered, exhausted or simply looking for something different, these shows prove there’s still no better place than the Fringe to argue, laugh and wrestle with the big political questions.
Andy Burnham yesterday became the first Prime Minister to work from No10 North, declaring ‘the days of power being hoarded in SW1 are over’
Burnham throws open the doors to No10 North, marking a new era of power flowing out of Whitehall and into every postcode
PM revives the National Economic Council in Manchester, bringing ministers and regional mayors around the table to drive devolution from week one
Comes as PM gives families and business owners breathing space with VAT off electricity bills, £2 bus fare cap restored, and a 20% business rates cut for pubs, clubs and music venues
Andy Burnham yesterday became the first Prime Minister to work from No10 North as he declared the days of power being hoarded in SW1 are over.
Operating from Heron House in Manchester’s city centre, No10 North will be the government’s new situation room for growth. It brings the levers of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time.
The Prime Minister is expected to work from No10 North each week so that decisions about the country’s economic future will no longer exclusively be made in Westminster. Other ministers will also work from No10 North on a regular basis, underlining this Government’s determination to do things differently.
The Prime Minister will chair the first meeting of the revived National Economic Council at No10 North today (Friday), bringing together senior ministers and regional mayors to put devolution at the centre of the Government’s mission to make Britian better.
The National Economic Council was first established in 2008 to provide a national response to an economic emergency. Its revival reflects the Prime Minister’s belief that delivering economic growth now requires the same level of urgency, focus and collective action, bringing together other government departments and local leaders.
Regional mayors will be invited to sit around the table, cementing devolution at the centre of economic decision-making and backing the Prime Minister’s pledge to rewire Britain so that decisions are taken with local leaders, not just for them.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve.
“No 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country.
“It will be the situation room for making Britain better – the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around.
“The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good.”
Ahead of the first meeting of the National Economic Council, the Prime Minister will speak to leading Business Representative Organisations including the Federation of Small Business, CBI and the BCC to discuss how Government and business can work together to unlock growth, investment and create jobs across the country.
The NEC’s attendees will flex according to the issues under consideration, bringing together business leaders, trade unions and other partners where their expertise can help drive delivery.
Local economic growth, devolution strategy and local growth policy are being brought together so that government departments, mayors, combined authorities and business can work from a single plan rather than competing ones.
First Secretary of State Louise Haigh said: “Today marks a fundamental re-balancing of where power sits in our country. No10 North has been set up to drive economic growth in every postcode and put power in the hands of every community.
“Through this department, this Government will ensure that the places overlooked by Westminster for decades are given a real voice. No.10 North is open for business.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey MP added: “This is a new era for devolution. Never before has a government been so serious about passing on its own power from Westminster in favour of local areas.
“No10 North sits at the heart of that plan. This is the way we signal real change – and the way we get it done.”
The meeting comes off the back of a series of interventions made to ease the cost of living and back local high streets, setting the tone for the PM’s cost-of-living government.
This week the government has announced:
The removal of VAT from domestic electricity bills from 1 October, saving a typical household around £45 a year.
The £2 cap on bus fares in England will kick in from January 2027.
A 20% cut in business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England from April 2027, benefiting nearly 32,000 venues and worth around £1,100 a year to a typical pub, on top of the 15% relief already in place.
‘Referendum would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living’
Prime Minister Andy Burnham met the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, in Glasgow yesterday, ahead of the start of the Commonwealth Games.
According to Number Ten, the The Prime Minister began by congratulating the First Minister and the city of Glasgow for hosting the Commonwealth Games, especially at short notice, and said he was looking forward to watching the opening ceremony later that evening.
The conversation then turned to how the Prime Minister and First Minister can work more closely together to build a model of devolution to improve people’s lives across Scotland.
The Prime Minister reiterated his belief that deeper devolution could make a real difference in helping communities across the UK to re-industrialise – creating jobs, transforming high streets and reviving local economies – and welcomed the First Minister’s willingness to engage with that process.
The Prime Minister stated up front that another referendum on independence was off limits because ‘it would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living’.
More broadly, the Prime Minister said this was a moment for both sides to work together in a constructive relationship. He looked forward to regular engagement with the First Minister in the months ahead.
The Scottish Government has not officially commented on the meeting, but First Minister John Swinney tweeted:
‘Good to welcome Prime Minister @andyburnham to Glasgow today. We will work constructively to improve the lives of people in Scotland, but that relationship must also be built on respect for Scotland’s right to choose its own future.’
Prime Minister vows to bring back hope ahead of first meeting with First Ministers of Scotland and Wales.
Andy Burnham will also attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Will say devolution has to be about giving local communities power.
Comes as the Prime Minister gives families across the nations more breathing space with immediate action on the cost of living.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will pledge to deliver growth in every postcode across the UK as he visits Scotland during his first week in office.
This afternoon [Thursday 23 July], the Prime Minister will hold meetings in Glasgow with the First Minister of Scotland John Swinney and the First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth, before watching the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games later on.
During his talks the Prime Minister will set out how he plans to work collaboratively with the heads of the Scottish and Welsh Devolved Governments – based on a genuine partnership.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “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.
“I’m not focused on point scoring or discussing constitutional changes like referendums, I want practical measures to help people live well and bring back hope.
“That’s why I’m giving families more breathing space with help on the cost of living, which I have started this week by taking VAT off electricity bills, saving money for millions of households.”
In his first week, the Prime Minister has taken action to give families more breathing space by cutting taxes on energy bills for tens of millions of families this winter.
But this is just the start. As the Prime Minister has said, we need to rewire the Westminster-centric system that has left too many people feeling disconnected from decision making. That’s why he has set up No10 North to spread opportunity and investment more fairly across the UK and put power closer to people’s lives.
The government says they are building a new economy, re-industrialising the United Kingdom and using public procurement to back our industry and create jobs.
The Prime Minister is expected to meet with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland on his tour of the United Kingdom in August, where he will visit places across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Through this tour, the Prime Minister will hear from people about what is needed in their communities as we restore hope that’s not been there in recent decades.
SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar is set to turn his back on Holyrood and take a seat in the unelected House of Lords, according to reports last night.
Sarwar, who led Scottish Labour to a dreadful defeat in May’s Holyrood elections where the party won just 17 seats, has been tipped to become a junior business minister in Andy Burnham’s refreshed government.
There was pressure on Sarwar to step down following May’s humiliating results. but the list MSP (Sarwar didn’t win a first past the post seat but was elected through the PR top-up list system) vowed to fight on, claiming there was ‘unfinished business’.
Indeed, when asked if he would ever take up a seat in the House of Lords, Sarwar told The Herald: “No. I’m focused on being first minister of this great country.
“My only commitment, my only focus, is serving my constituents in Glasgow and serving the great people of this country, if I get the honour of being first minister.”
Last month he confirmed his determination to lead Scottish Labour for the full Holyrood term into the next elections: ‘I’m hungry for the fight ahead and I want to play my full part in making sure this country never ends up in the hands of Nigel Farage and Reform’
Just a few short weeks later, however, Sarwar appears to have had a change of mind.
The voters of Glasgow won’t even have an opportunity to have their say on Sarwar’s decision when he packs his bags and scurries down to Westminster’s unelected House of Lords – the very institution he said should be abolished!
There will be no by-election as Sarwar was elected as a list MSP, so he will simply be replaced by the next person on Glasgow’s Labour’s list.
