Chris Mason: Burnham and Swinney tussle over where power lies in Scotland

The SNP gathered in Aberdeen after winning a fifth consecutive Scottish Parliament election in May, though it secured fewer seats than in 2021. First Minister John Swinney begins a new term after the party's 2024 general election defeat and the conviction of former chief executive Peter Murrell for embezzling more than £400,000. Swinney and Andy Burnham both argue that power should be exercised closer to people, but they differ over Scottish independence, which Swinney has pursued as a lifelong political goal. The prime minister regards recurring debate about independence as a distraction.