Scottish FM presses Burnham for talks on ‘agreed legal mechanism’ for indyref2

Katrine Bussey, Press Association Scotland Political Editor

Scotland’s First Minister is pressing for talks with Andy Burnham over how a legal mechanism for a second independence referendum could be agreed.

SNP leader John Swinney has written to the Prime Minister following his suggestion in the Commons that such a vote could be held if public opinion shows demand for one.

The remarks, made during Prime Minister’s Questions, appear to show a change of stance from the Labour leader, who previously told Mr Swinney that another referendum was “off the table”.

Following Wednesday’s comments, Mr Swinney said it is “important” he and Mr Burnham discuss “how we turn that principle into an agreed legal mechanism, as exists in Northern Ireland”.

He said previous UK leaders’ refusal to consider the option of another referendum was “clearly unsustainable”, and Mr Burnham’s remarks were a “long-overdue acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future”.

The Prime Minister had indicated that Scotland should be in “exactly the same situation” as Northern Ireland.

Mr Burnham noted the Good Friday Agreement sets out that a border poll can be held when the Northern Ireland Secretary determines there is “a clear consensus in the country, when public opinion has changed to the point where the call has to be considered”.

The Prime Minister went on to tell MPs he is “not aware that there is a majority of public support for another referendum” in Scotland, adding: “Until that changes there won’t be one.”

Mr Swinney however said he was “encouraged” the Labour leader had “reconsidered” his stance.

He also told Mr Burnham: “In May, the SNP won a historic and unprecedented fifth term in office, and the people of Scotland elected more pro-independence MSPs than at any point in the Parliament’s history.”

Adding there “must be a discussion about where power lies across these islands”, Mr Swinney said: “By concluding a clear, understandable mechanism, both sides of the constitutional debate can move forward constructively in the full knowledge of an agreed process by which the Scottish people can exercise their democratic right at a time of their choosing.”

Meanwhile, elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice said the Prime Minister’s comment “does read like something of a misstatement”.

Sir John said opinion polls during this year’s Holyrood election and afterwards “suggest there is at least a small majority in favour of independence”.

But speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme on Thursday, he said: “Both sides in the argument can point to evidence that appears to substantiate their case.

“Those on the nationalist side of the argument can say ‘look, there is a majority’ although it is very small, it is about 52% to 48%.

“They also point to the fact there is a majority of Holyrood MSPs in favour of independence.

“On the other hand, if you look at the result of the election back in May, only just over 40% of people voted for parties that are in favour of independence.”

He added that the 2014 referendum – when 55% of Scots backed staying in the UK – had “failed to resolve the issue of Scotland’s constitutional status”, with the expert saying “that is why we are where we are”.

Sir John said: “At the end of the day, the real challenge the nationalists face is to get the numbers, which have been around 50/50 now for about seven years, up to something like the 60% mark, where it will begin to look indeed as if some kind of vote is going to be difficult to avoid.

“We are not yet in that position, but equally we are not in as firm a position as unionists would like.”

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Andy Burnham has pulled the pin on a constitutional hand grenade – which John Swinney has now thrown back at him.

“The ex-Manchester mayor is dangerously naive about the SNP’s relentless agitation to break up the United Kingdom.

“It was inevitable that John Swinney would pounce on Burnham’s naive comparison between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“Opening the door to another divisive referendum is further evidence that Labour can’t be trusted to defend the union.”

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