ANDY Burnham is set to meet John Swinney at a summit of the UK's devolved governments after facing criticism for completely avoiding Scotland during his so-called "listening tour" of the UK.
The Prime Minister has announced he will meet with the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the autumn as part of his revived National Economic Council.
Downing Street said Swinney, Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, and Northern Ireland's First Minister and deputy First Minister will meet Burnham at the council in October.
The announcement comes after The National revealed Burnham's much-publicised tour of the nations and regions of the UK had failed to include a single stop in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The SNP subsequently branded Burnham the "first Prime Minister of England", while Swinney said he was "surprised" the Labour leader had decided not to visit Scotland.
Burnham announced the October summit ahead of a visit to south Wales on Thursday, where he is expected to speak to workers and apprentices about jobs, reindustrialisation and the cost of living.
He 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.
"Good jobs in every community, in every part of the UK. That is what I want every leader in this country signed up to."
Downing Street said the October meeting would focus on "how we will drive good growth in every postcode across the UK".
The National Economic Council was originally created under Gordon Brown's premiership in 2008 and has now been revived by Burnham.
A previous meeting brought together UK Government ministers and English local authority mayors.
Burnham's decision to meet the devolved leaders follows criticism over his decision to leave both Scotland and Northern Ireland off his summer listening tour.
The UK Government had said the Prime Minister would spend "much of the rest of August" travelling around Britain.
Aberdeen had previously been touted as a potential destination for Burnham to discuss North Sea policy, but no Scottish visit has yet materialised.
When approached by The National earlier this month, Downing Street refused to confirm whether Scotland was included in the itinerary.
SNP MSP David Linden subsequently accused Burnham of embarking on a tour designed to generate "TikTok content", branding him "the first Prime Minister of England".
Swinney also criticised the omission on Wednesday as he challenged Burnham over rising household energy costs.
"I'm surprised the Prime Minister's decided not to come to Scotland as part of his listening tour," the First Minister said.
"But I think if he did come to Scotland, people would be wanting to say to him that they're deeply concerned about the fact that his Government has failed to live up to the Labour election promise to cut fuel bills by £300."
Burnham has visited Scotland once since replacing Keir Starmer as Prime Minister in July, attending the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
During that trip, he met Swinney and told the First Minister that another Scottish independence referendum was "off limits".
Burnham did not speak to any Scottish media or voters during his brief visit, after which he flew to Manchester by private jet.
