PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges
Burnham said a vote could follow clear public support and compared Scotland’s rules to Northern Ireland’s border-poll trigger under the Good Friday Agreement.
- At PMQs on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested a second Scottish independence referendum could occur if public opinion shows clear support, comparing the situation to Northern Ireland border poll conditions.
- Burnham previously described a border poll in Northern Ireland as "off the table," sparking a political row after telling Scottish First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum was "off limits."
- Chris Law challenged the Prime Minister at the Commons, noting the Northern Ireland Act includes a referendum provision while Scotland lacks equivalent legal standing for independence votes.
- Swinney welcomed the shift, calling it "an acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future," marking the first time since 2014 a British Prime Minister linked referendum support to a vote.
- Polling on independence remains a statistical dead heat, with most surveys placing support between 48% and 52%, suggesting that achieving the "clear consensus" Burnham described remains a significant hurdle.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Swinney Seizes on Burnham Shift to Push Scotland Referendum
Scottish First Minister John Swinney called for new talks with the UK government about Scotland’s constitutional future after Prime Minister Andy Burnham appeared to soften Westminster’s longstanding opposition to a second referendum on leaving the UK.
GB News
PressNewsAgencyAndy Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum comparing it to potential Irish reunification
Andy Burnham has opened the door to another Scottish independence referendum could be held if public opinion shows demand for one.The Prime Minister had previously told Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum is "off limits”.However, in the Commons he appeared to indicate a vote could be held if there was clear public support, comparing the situation to the conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland.In fact Mr Burnh…
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