Andy Burnham has proposed further devolution of employment support and industrial funding after talks with Scotland’s and Wales’s first ministers in Glasgow, while maintaining his opposition to independence referendums.

The prime minister said the UK’s four nations must advance together as he sought agreement on giving regions greater control over economic policy. The first National Economic Council for the nations also included Northern Ireland officials, who attended amid the political fallout from the Drumcree parade dispute.

“Growth can't wait. People need to see improvements in employment and in living standards in all parts of the UK,” Burnham said.

The discussions covered regional control of employment support and funding for reindustrialisation, potentially including innovation funding. Burnham, John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth agreed that too many young people were out of work. The UK government will examine further devolution of youth employment support to Scotland and Wales.

The talks exposed an important distinction: transferring powers from Westminster to national administrations is not the same as distributing responsibilities within those nations. Burnham urged joint work on deeper devolution but said Scotland and Wales should decide what their regional structures look like.

Swinney, Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader, welcomed what he described as recognition that “Westminster is not working for Scotland”. He called the meeting “a welcome start”, despite their disagreement over independence, and offered constructive co-operation provided further powers delivered higher wages, better jobs, business opportunities and help with living costs.

Both first ministers have called for a wider discussion about independence. Burnham has ruled out referendums, and Downing Street explicitly excluded a second Scottish independence referendum from its review of Swinney’s requests.

Welsh first minister and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth described the meeting as positive, while insisting that further devolution within Wales was solely a matter for the Senedd. He welcomed Burnham’s “step forward” on Welsh fiscal and borrowing powers and supported efforts towards a stronger relationship with the EU.

Downing Street said the Welsh leader had agreed to explore how both governments could support regional empowerment, reindustrialisation and growth.

Since entering Downing Street this summer, Burnham has argued that stronger regional mayors and authorities in England would boost growth. His plans for national-level devolution remain less clearly defined: the Glasgow talks set out areas for further work, rather than a settled package of new powers.