Andy Burnham has signalled he will not discuss the prospect of a second independence referendum with First Minister John Swinney during his visit to Glasgow for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The two leaders are set to meet on Thursday, their first face-to-face since Burnham became Prime Minister on Monday, following a phone call earlier this week in which Burnham reportedly dismissed the prospect of another independence vote. A UK Government source indicated the Prime Minister told the First Minister they would have to “agree to disagree” on the matter.
Burnham, who has expressed a desire to devolve more powers across the UK, is understood to have committed to collaborating with the Scottish Government to foster a “new kind of politics”. However, Swinney has already indicated his reluctance to work with Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, a figure Burnham chose to retain in his cabinet, preferring to deal with the Prime Minister one-on-one. Burnham will also meet the First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, during his visit.
“Burnham tells Swinney he won't discuss independence referendum during Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games visit.”
“I’m not focused on point scoring or discussing constitutional changes like referendums,” Burnham said. “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.” Swinney, meanwhile, used the occasion to underline Wales’ case for “parity of powers and a fairer funding model”, warning that “Number 10 North must not become just Whitehall with a different postcode.”
Burnham will arrive in Glasgow on Thursday to watch the opening ceremony, joined by the King and Queen. The city is hosting a streamlined Commonwealth Games with 215 gold medals up for grabs across 10 sports, welcoming more than 3,000 athletes. Among the biggest names is Scotland’s Josh Kerr, who last Saturday smashed the men’s mile world record that had stood for 27 years, running three minutes 42.66 seconds. The 28-year-old is competing in the Commonwealth Mile, seeking his first medal for Team Scotland. “Gold in Scotland is what I grew up thinking about,” he told BBC Scotland earlier this year.
England’s Kadeena Cox, a para-cyclist who has missed the last two Commonwealth Games through injury, will compete in the C4-5 event at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. South Africa’s Chad le Clos is also among the stars. For some athletes, a podium finish is paramount; for others, competing is a win in itself. As the Games begin, the political focus has turned away from constitutional battles and toward sporting spectacle – but the underlying tensions over Scotland’s future are far from resolved.