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Burnham commits to Good Friday Agreement on border poll
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.