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Scottish councils 'starved of cash and powers' by SNP, says Alexander

News imageReuters Douglas Alexander wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt and dark red tie walks out of 10 Downing Street.Reuters
Douglas Alexander said he wanted more power "pushed out" from the Scottish government

Scottish councils have been "starved of cash and powers" by the SNP at Holyrood, the Secretary of State for Scotland says.

Douglas Alexander said he wanted more power "pushed out" from the Scottish government, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to extend devolution.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday that Alexander would remain as Scottish Secretary in his Labour government.

Alexander also said he wanted "mutual respect" between Holyrood and Westminster, after First Minister John Swinney said relations had "haemorrhaged" with him in the role.

"There's a lot of merit in strengthening civic leadership in Scotland," Alexander told BBC Radio Scotland:

"There is a nation beyond Holyrood and it's called Scotland.

"Finding a way for Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh to feel that - they have the power and the resources to be able to drive prosperity in their local economies - is going to be absolutely key."

Alexander also said he was "very open" to the concept of regional mayors.

Burnham said one of his key priorities for Britain would be to hand more power to councils and authorities away from Westminster.

Alexander described Burnham as a "practitioner of devolution" after he was elected as the first mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, at in a time when mayors where an untested concept.

Local government is a devolved power in Scotland, meaning the UK government can not force Holyrood to adopt the mayoral system.

Alexander added: "A lot of people have a sense that we've seen an under-powering and an under-resourcing of local government in Scotland and there is a real opportunity to take a fresh look and see what we could learn."

News imageReuters Andy Burnham, a man with thick dark hair and black-rimmed spectacles, is shaking hands with John Swinney, a man with a bald head and dark-rimmed spectacles. Burnham is in a dark blue suit with white shirt and solid green tie while Swinney is in a dark blue suit with white shirt and a blue, red and grey tartan tie. They are both smiling against a grey backdrop.Reuters
Andy Burnham and John Swinney met in Glasgow before the Commonwealth Games

Alexander and Burnham met with Swinney before the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday, during the PM's first visit to Scotland since taking office.

On his relationship with Swinney and the SNP government, Alexander said he approached his work "with an open heart and an open mind".

He added: "Working collaboratively and effectively with the Scottish government to advance the interests of Scotland is absolutely how I come to this."

Alexander was appointed as Scottish Secretary in September 2025 after the sacking of Scottish Labour's longest serving MP, Ian Murray, in a UK government reshuffle.

His arrival coincided with his appointment as joint director of the Scottish Labour Holyrood election campaign to get Swinney out of office.

"It's not really a secret that the first minister and I were on different sides of the recent Scottish election campaigns," Alexander told the BBC.

"On a personal level I have a very regard for him and I think there is scope for a relationship of mutual respect on both sides between the Scottish government and the UK government."