Andy Burnham appeared to open the door to a fresh Scottish independence referendum during Prime Minister's Questions, suggesting one could be held if there were "majority public support," before Downing Street moved quickly to row back on the remark. The comment, made in response to SNP MP Chris Law, was seized on by First Minister John Swinney as a significant shift from the UK government's previous position that another vote was "off limits," fuelling renewed debate over Scotland's constitutional future.

Burnham told the Commons he would apply the "exactly the same situation" to Scotland as to Northern Ireland, where a "clear consensus in the country" is required, adding that he was not aware of majority support for a new referendum and "until that changes there won't be one." Swinney welcomed the remarks on social media as an acceptance that Scots, not the UK government, would decide their future. However, Burnham's press secretary swiftly clarified that the Prime Minister's position remained unchanged, restating that another referendum was "off limits" and that Labour does not support independence or a repeat vote, following the 2014 referendum in which Scotland voted 55% to 45% to remain in the UK.