THE SNP branded Andy Burnham the “first prime minister of England” today as he will not be visiting Scotland amid cost-of-living concerns.

Mr Burnham’s “single visit north of the border was to tell the Scottish people Scottish democracy was ‘off limits’,” the nationalists said.

The Prime Minister has made a series of announcements relating to England, the party said, but Mr Burnham’s “only real action” on the cost of living was to remove VAT from energy bills from October.

This will save average households about £3 a month, but energy bills are set to be £563 higher than the Labour Party promised during the last general election campaign, the SNP said.

SNP MSP David Linden said: “Energy bills are going up again in energy-rich Scotland this week and Andy Burnham’s cost-of-living listening tour will end without a single visit here — he is the first prime minister of England.

“This listening exercise was all about TikTok content, when the reality is he doesn’t need to listen to see the broken promise staring him in the face — bills will be £563 higher than the Labour Party promised.

“Meanwhile, we’ve had a series of announcements from Andy Burnham that all concern England, as all Scotland got was a warning that our democratic right to decide our own future was ‘off limits’.”

Mr Linden said that when concerns about heatwaves are replaced by worries over heating bills in winter, Mr Burnham will be “faced with the cold, hard, reality of broken Brexit Britain and hardworking Scots will be hammered once again.”

“It’s that simple truth that is exactly why we need a fresh start with independence,” he added.