Burnham faces SNP fury as independence row erupts before No 10Andy Burnham’s pitch to reshape the UK through deeper devolution has come under immediate political fire, after reports claimed the prime minister-in-waiting has ruled out any second Scottish independence referendum. The clash has handed the SNP an early target, with ministers accusing Labour of promising change while defending the constitutional status quo. Devolution Promise Meets Constitutional Wall According to reports, Burnham told Scottish Labour MPs he would not support another independence vote if he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street. The reported remarks appear to sit uneasily alongside his recent calls for greater devolution across the UK, arguing communities from Dundee to Bangor often feel as remote from devolved governments as they do from Westminster. That contrast has become the latest battleground in an increasingly tense debate over Labour’s constitutional agenda before Burnham has even entered No 10. SNP Declares Burnham's Vision Is 'Unravelling' Scottish Cabinet Secretary Ivan McKee said Burnham’s claims of empowering local communities were "unravelling" if they stopped short of allowing Scotland to decide its constitutional future. He argued it was inconsistent to champion devolved power while refusing another referendum, describing the approach as "more of the same" from Westminster. First Minister John Swinney has also rejected Burnham's wider proposal for elected mayors in Scotland, adding another point of friction between Edinburgh and Labour. Pressure Builds From Across Holyrood The criticism did not stop with the Scottish Government. SNP MSP David Linden insisted Scotland had already voted for another referendum and deserved the opportunity to decide its future. Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie echoed that argument, saying Burnham was entitled to oppose independence politically but should not prevent Scots from making the choice at the ballot box. Labour Fires Back Scottish Labour dismissed the attacks as a distraction from the SNP's record in government. Deputy leader Jackie Baillie accused nationalists of manufacturing another constitutional dispute instead of focusing on public services. The exchange highlights the political challenge awaiting Burnham. Even before taking office, his plans for devolving power are colliding with Scotland's unresolved constitutional debate, ensuring the future of the Union will remain one of the first major tests facing any incoming Labour government. Andy Burnham devolution claims 'unravelling' due to indyref opposition, SNP says
