Andy Burnham said he was “utterly determined” to prove Scottish First Minister John Swinney wrong after Swinney had said he would be the UK’s last Prime Minister. Speaking at his first Labour conference as party leader, Burnham recalled that the remark came on the day his father died, while stressing he did not believe Swinney knew of the death. He used the story to affirm his support for the Union and call for “solidarity not separation”.

Burnham said the UK had given his father a good life and his sons opportunities, while acknowledging the country’s flaws. He pledged to fight to keep the Union together and “rewire” the UK by shifting power from Whitehall to communities across its nations. The speech followed controversy over his suggestion that majority public support could prompt another Scottish independence referendum; he later wrote to Swinney that he considered a further vote “off limits”. Swinney said he had sent condolences and challenged Burnham to allow a referendum.