Andy Burnham must deliver emergency budget to ‘reverse damage’, says SNP

Andy Burnham must deliver emergency budget to ‘reverse damage’, says SNPSNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan is calling on Mr Burnham to deliver an emergency cost-of-living budget when he enters No 10.Andy Burnham after officially being confirmed as the new leader of the Labour Party, at a special conference held at the Trades Union Congress, in central London (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire

The SNP has called on Andy Burnham to deliver an emergency cost-of-living budget to “reverse damage” under the Labour Government.

Mr Burnham is set to become prime minister on Monday after he was confirmed as Labour leader on Friday.

The former Greater Manchester mayor, who returned to Westminster last month as the MP for Makerfield, vowed to “bring back hope” in his speech as Labour leader on Friday.

SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan said that Mr Burnham would be “judged on his actions not words” as the UK prepares for its seventh prime minister in 10 years.

Mr Doogan is calling on Mr Burnham to deliver an emergency cost-of-living budget when he enters No 10.

SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan is calling on Mr Burnham to deliver an emergency cost-of-living budget (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Archive

He continued: “While Westminster has been stuck in constant chaos, people’s lives have got worse.

“People in Scotland don’t want more empty promises about ‘hope in their hearts’ – they want money in their pockets and meaningful change to make people’s lives and livelihoods better.

“Andy Burnham must deliver an emergency cost of living budget, and a meaningful package of financial support for families, to reverse the damage done under the Labour Party government and put money back into people’s pockets.

“That must include tackling the soaring cost of energy bills, which are almost £600 higher than the Labour Party promised at the election, reducing the sky-high cost of fuel, and reversing the billions of pounds of damage done to Scottish jobs, businesses and the economy by the Labour Party’s National Insurance tax hike and harmful Brexit policies.

“It means changing the damaging approach to Scottish industry, which has seen the Labour government shutting the doors on Grangemouth, destroying thousands of Scottish energy jobs and hoarding Scotland’s energy wealth at Westminster.”

In his pitch for the Labour leadership, Mr Burnham focused on devolution and said he wanted to decentralise Westminster, including an extension of the prime minister’s office in Manchester dubbed “No 10 North”.

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First Minister John Swinney said he will be meeting the incoming prime minister next week and said that if Mr Burnham “is serious about a genuinely new approach”, the SNP will be a “willing partner”.

However, he said the new prime minister must recognise Westminster “does not have the right to dictate Scotland’s future” as he pushes for another independence referendum.

It has already been reported that Mr Burnham would likely oppose such a vote.

Mr Doogan said that Mr Burnham must bring a “radical change approach” to Scotland’s parliament and democracy.

He said: “And a new prime minister must mean a radical change in approach to Scotland’s parliament and democracy – ditching Westminster’s disrespect agenda, strengthening the powers of the Scottish Parliament, and respecting Scotland’s democratic right to determine our own future in an independence referendum.

“The SNP is ready to work with a new prime minister to secure real support with the cost of living and meaningful change but that must include genuine respect for Scotland.”

Labour has been approached for comment.