Story perspectives

SNP Conference Votes to Abolish Scotland Office, Freeing £13m

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Scottish power devolution

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered to work with Scotland’s government to shift power from Westminster.
First Minister John Swinney will promote a renewed independence push in his SNP conference keynote Saturday.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Tories have no plans to strip Scottish Parliament powers but may review devolution.
SNP delegates voted to abolish the Scotland Office, potentially freeing over £13 million for energy-bill relief.

Summary

Burnham Defies Swinney

Burnham recalled his father’s death on the day Swinney predicted he would be the UK’s last prime minister.
Burnham said the memory makes him “utterly determined” to prove Swinney wrong.
Burnham singled out Swinney in his Labour conference keynote, breaking his usual low-conflict style.
Burnham, former Manchester mayor, will visit Aberdeen-area venues on Friday, midway through the SNP conference.

History

Historical Context

The 1998 Scotland Act, passed by the UK Parliament under Prime Minister Tony Blair, created the devolved Scottish Parliament. The legislation allocated £1.5 billion annually to Edinburgh, a figure championed by Labour MP John Smith to balance fiscal autonomy. Today, Andy Burnham’s call to renegotiate powers and SNP leader John Swinney’s push to abolish the Scotland Office echo the 1998 devolution debate. The precedent suggests future UK-Scotland negotiations could reshape fiscal transfers, potentially redirecting millions like the £13 million earmarked for energy-bill relief.

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Scottish power devolution

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered to work with Scotland’s government to shift power from Westminster.
First Minister John Swinney will promote a renewed independence push in his SNP conference keynote Saturday.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Tories have no plans to strip Scottish Parliament powers but may review devolution.
SNP delegates voted to abolish the Scotland Office, potentially freeing over £13 million for energy-bill relief.

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