Burnham concedes second Scottish independence referendum possible under same rules as NI border poll
No10 backpeddles over the PM's comments in the Commons, as Scottish Labour MPs privately express concern to LBC.
Andy Burnham has sparked concern among Scottish Labour MPs after suggesting another Scottish independence referendum could be held if public opinion shows demand for one, in the same way the Good Friday Agreement lays out how a poll could be held to reunify Ireland.
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The Prime Minister had previously told Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum is “off limits” but in the Commons today he appeared to indicate a vote could be held if there was clear public support.
And he compared the situation to the conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland.
LBC has been told his remarks prompted backbench Scotish Labour MPs to get in touch with No10 seeking clarity and "expressing concern".
"It has caused some anger, but mostly we are concerned that he doesn't understand just what he has said and how the SNP will use," it, one MP said.
A second messaged to say: "A number of us have been in touch already with No10 as this cannot be allowed to be a thing that develops. He has to be far more robust on this."
But responding to Mr Burnham's comments. Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney said: “To go from ‘off limits’ to this is an acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future – not the UK Government.
“For the first time since 2014, a British Prime Minister accepts that majority support for a referendum should mean one takes place.”
The issue was raised at Prime Minister’s Questions, when in response to SNP MP Chris Law who asked why it was that the people of Northern Ireland had a legal route to a constitutional referendum, but there was no such framework for Scotland.
The PM said the Good Friday Agreement made clear that a border poll would be “considered by the Northern Ireland secretary when there is a clear consensus in the country, when public opinion has changed to the point where the call has to be considered”.
He added: “I would say exactly the same situation in Scotland.
“I am not aware that there is a majority of public support for another referendum and until that changes there won’t be one.”
Downing Street later insisted there had been no change in the Prime Minister’s position. Mr Burnham’s press secretary said: “The PM’s been repeatedly clear on this.
“In his call with the Scottish First Minister in his first week, the PM stated upfront that another referendum on independence was off limits and as our election manifesto makes clear, Labour does not support independence or another referendum.”
The Good Friday Agreement gives the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the power to call a referendum "at any time based on general political judgment or public interest" and that they "must exercise that power if, at any time, it appears likely that a majority of those voting would favour Northern Ireland leaving the UK and forming part of a united Ireland.”
It also sets out that a poll cannot be held within seven years of a previous referendum on the same question - but does not set out any exact thresholds or specific triggers such as specific polling percentages or election results, for a poll to be held.
The Scottish independence referendum was held in 2014, with a majority voting to remain in the UK.