Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to visit Scotland on Friday, the middle of the Scottish National Party's conference. This visit is seen as an attempt to overshadow the SNP gathering, despite Burnham being at a different venue.
Since becoming Prime Minister in July, Burnham has largely avoided direct confrontations with political rivals, but has taken a different approach with the Scottish First Minister, John Swinney. Swinney is scheduled to address SNP members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen, aiming to re-energise the case for a second independence referendum.
Burnham has previously stated there is "no clear consensus" for another independence vote. Unlike previous prime ministers, he has chosen to advocate for the union on Scottish soil. Polling by PF Global suggests 46% of Scots view Burnham favourably, a figure higher than the Labour party's own popularity in Scotland.
The SNP conference in Aberdeen aims to move past recent challenges, including Nicola Sturgeon's resignation and the fraud conviction of Peter Murrell. The party won a fifth successive election in May, forming a minority government in Holyrood.