Burnham summons devolved leaders to economic summit in bid to boost UK growth

Andy Burnham has announced that he will bring together the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland this autumn for a summit aimed at boosting the UK economy, as the prime minister made his first official visit to Wales on Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for October under the revived National Economic Council, will see the devolved leaders gather with the prime minister to discuss shared economic challenges, including growth, investment and the continuing cost-of-living crisis.

Speaking ahead of a visit to an undisclosed location in south Wales, Burnham said: “I am in south Wales today because the answers to the UK’s challenges will not come from an echo chamber. They will come from the places that know their own strengths, and from a government willing to listen and then act.” He added that he wanted “every leader in this country signed up” to the goal of “good jobs in every community, in every part of the UK”. His spokespeople confirmed that he would speak to Welsh workers and apprentices about reindustrialisation, jobs and the cost of living.

The National Economic Council, originally created by Gordon Brown’s government after the 2008 banking crash, has been revived by Burnham to coordinate economic policy across the UK. A previous meeting under the new administration brought together government ministers and English local authority mayors. No 10 said the prime minister had wanted to discuss “how we will drive good growth in every postcode across the UK” with the first ministers.

Burnham will meet Wales’s deputy first minister, Sioned Williams, during his visit. Williams described the summit as “a positive example of governments working together to improve people’s lives” and said she would call for a “fair share of the UK government’s steel fund”, an energy social tariff to support those facing fuel poverty, and action on high standing charges in Wales. “Wales is an energy-rich nation,” she said. “People should see that reflected in good jobs, stronger communities and lower bills.”

The Welsh government confirmed it looked forward to discussing shared challenges, including growth and investment across all represented nations, alongside broader priorities such as fair funding and extending devolution. Plaid Cymru has pressed the UK government for further discussions over more powers and funding for the Senedd and the Welsh government in Cardiff. First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth held his first meeting with Burnham on the sidelines of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July, though at the time he said it was “too early” to know whether the new prime minister would agree to his calls. Downing Street then indicated that Burnham wanted an “open and ongoing dialogue” with the first minister.

The visit has drawn political responses from other parties. Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick said Wales “needs action” if the prime minister is serious about easing the burden on families. Reform UK’s Welsh leader, Dan Thomas, offered a more combative assessment, suggesting that Burnham “may well be the last Labour prime minister to come to Wales” and predicting the end of Labour’s electoral dominance in the country. The summit in October is expected to set the tone for intergovernmental relations as the new administration seeks to deliver on its pledge of growth across all parts of the UK.