Burnham desperately backtracks after suggesting Scotland can have another independence referendum if there is ‘majority public support’
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.
- Burnham hinted a Scottish independence vote could happen with majority public support
- SNP's Swinney called it a major shift from the UK government's stance
- Downing Street quickly clarified the PM's position hasn't changed
New here? Start with this
Devolution has given Scotland its own parliament and government, but decisions on whether it can become independent rest with the UK Parliament in Westminster. In 2014, Scotland held a referendum on leaving the UK and voted 55% to 45% to stay, a result the UK government has since treated as settling the question, at least for the time being. The Scottish National Party (SNP), which leads the devolved Scottish government under First Minister John Swinney, continues to campaign for a second vote.
Andy Burnham is the mayor of Greater Manchester and a senior figure in the Labour Party, which currently governs the UK. Although he does not sit in the UK cabinet, his comments in Parliament carry weight because of his profile within Labour and speculation about his future ambitions. The UK government's official line has been that another Scottish independence referendum is "off limits," making any suggestion of a softer stance politically significant.
This story matters because Scottish independence remains one of the most contentious issues in UK politics, touching on national identity, the future shape of the United Kingdom, and the balance of power between Westminster and the devolved nations. Any perceived shift in the UK government's position, even an unintended one, can be seized on by supporters of independence as evidence of changing circumstances, while opponents point to the 2014 result as still standing.