'I support the union': Andy Burnham rules out 'divisive' indyref2

The Prime Minister said there was “no clear consensus” on the constitution and argued it is a distraction from the cost of living crisis.

He said the 2014 referendum had settled the issue for a “generation”.

Earlier this month, Mr Burnham had suggested another independence vote could be held if public opinion showed demand for one.

Speaking in the House of Commons, he compared the situation to the conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement.

This was seized on by the SNP, but Mr Burnham later made clear a second referendum was “off limits”.

READ MORE: Andy Burnham will be last UK Prime Minister, says John Swinney

Mr Burnham told broadcasters on Friday: “I don’t think now is the time to go back into that debate. The cost of living is the issue affecting most Scots, as it is the issue affecting most people across all parts of the UK.”

He said the people of Scotland had the right to decide their own future, but added: “The future was determined, I would say for a generation.”

The Prime Minister said: “It’s about where people are, isn’t it, and things haven’t changed as far as I can see. There is no clear consensus and so the important thing is not to focus on something that would be a matter of huge division because there is no clear consensus.

“The right thing to do is to focus on the cost of living, and also for me to invite the First Minister to Number 10 North here, which I have done as part of a national economic council, to discuss how can we help with further devolution and particularly getting more power down to the city level, to the town level, to the grassroots and communities across Scotland.”

Mr Burnham said he supported “solidarity between the nations of the UK”, adding: “I don’t support separation, so let me be absolutely plain about that.”

He continued: “I support the union. Let me make that absolutely plain. I support the union. I don’t think it would be good for people in the north of England, and we felt that at the time of the Scottish referendum, for that rupture to come across the border.”

He said now is not “the time for another referendum”.

He added: “I don’t think public opinion in Scotland supports that because there isn’t a clear consensus, therefore it would just be divisive - it would take attention away from the cost of living crisis, which I would say is the main issue that people need to focus on.”

Responding to the comments, SNP depute leader Keith Brown said: “It is welcome that the Prime Minister has once again said Scotland has the right to decide. A simple democratic concept that Holyrood - with the support of Scottish Labour - has endorsed too.

“The age of Westminster is coming to an end and we now need these very reasonable steps forward to be an agreed process.

“Through a fresh start with independence we can build a wealthier Scotland back home in the EU - that is a future that the Scottish people should be able to take forward at a time of their choosing.”

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton accused Mr Burnham of “furiously trying to backtrack after opening the door to another divisive referendum”.

She added: “His naïve remarks in the Commons emboldened John Swinney and other nationalist leaders to push their obsession with breaking up the United Kingdom.

“Pro-UK voters still won’t trust Burnham to be strong enough to stand up to Swinney and the SNP on this given some of his weak comments in these interviews.

“The Prime Minister must realise Swinney will not stop until he takes Scotland out of the Union.

“Scots want both of their governments focused on the cost-of-living, fixing our public services, instead of being bogged down in constitutional debates.

“Burnham must not hand the SNP opportunities to drag Scotland back to the arguments of the past, which is where Swinney wants to be to distract from his dismal record of failure.”