Burnham showed 'lack of knowledge' about Scotland - Swinney

First Minister John Swinney has accused Andy Burnham of showing a "lack of knowledge" about Scotland after he suggested power was too concentrated in Edinburgh.

Burnham, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, vowed earlier this week to devolve power away from Westminster and Holyrood to generate prosperity across the UK.

The Labour MP described the Westminster system as "broken" and called for "radical" change.

Swinney agreed that the UK Parliament was not working for Scotland, but insisted power must be devolved "sensibly".

Burnham is expected to become prime minister on 20 July if no other Labour MP makes a leadership bid, .

In a speech on Monday making his pitch for the Labour leadership, the former Greater Manchester mayor said he wanted to "extend devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by taking power deeper down".

"The people of Dundee and Bangor feel just as distant from Holyrood and the Senedd as they do from Westminster," he said.

Speaking in Glasgow, Swinney said such comments demonstrated "Andy Burnham's lack of knowledge of Scotland".

Swinney stressed that his government was supporting local authorities, city region deals and had ensured local authorities had more say over finances.

"Rather than sending us polemics from wherever Andy Burnham has decided to send us polemics from, he should engage constructively and also follow through on all of his rhetoric about making sure power is devolved out of Whitehall to different parts of the United Kingdom," the first minister said.

"And Scotland stands ready to take those powers and devolve them sensibly to grow and expand the Scottish economy."

The SNP leader said that he had not spoken to Burnham since he returned to Westminster, but said he was willing to engage in a "constructive relationship".

He called on Burnham to follow through on improving living standards and to "empower" the Scottish Parliament.

Swinney added: "The test for Andy Burnham is whether there is going to be any reality beyond the rhetoric."

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks has insisted Burnham wants to work "in partnership" with SNP ministers to deliver "better outcomes".

The Rutherglen MP described Scotland as overly centralised.

He told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime that Burnham's plan was to transfer power away from Holyrood and Westminster to communities "who know best" about how money should be spent there.

He said devolution had not "always delivered", and that some powers transferred to the Scottish Parliament "had not been properly used".

The first minister was also asked about his former deputy, Kate Forbes, attending a conference featuring Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and a number of figures from the US right.

Forbes - who stepped down from Holyrood at May's election - faced criticism from within her party for attending the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference last week.

Asked if he would have spoken at the conference, Swinney said: "I certainly wouldn't speak at a conference like that because I'm going to have nothing to do with Reform."

Reform UK Scotland deputy leader Thomas Kerr accused Swinney of "putting political tribalism ahead of serious debate".

He added: "Scotland's first minister should be willing to engage with different ideas, not dismiss them because of party labels."