John Swinney calls for legal mechanism to trigger indyref2

First Minister John Swinney has called for the prime minister to establish a legal mechanism to trigger a referendum on Scottish independence.

Writing to Andy Burnham, the FM said agreeing such a formal route would allow both sides of the debate to “move forward constructively”.

He has requested a meeting to discuss the matter further.

The letter comes after Burnham said at PMQs on Wednesday that a second referendum was possible if a “majority” of Scots wanted one.

He was responding to a question from SNP MP Chris Law, who drew a comparison between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Good Friday Agreement means the Northern Ireland secretary must call a border poll on the constitution if it appears a majority of the people of Northern Ireland would back reunification with Ireland.

The prime minister told the Commons that a similar principle should apply to Scotland.

However, he added he was “not aware” of such a majority for another referendum and “until that changes…there won’t be one”.

Swinney welcomed the comments yesterday, saying it was the “first time” the principle has been accepted by a prime minister since 2014.

In his letter to Burnham, he said: “You have rightly identified that there must be a discussion about where power lies across these islands.

“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.

“Now that you have agreed the principle that Scotland should have a referendum when it is likely that people would vote for independence, it is important for us to meet to discuss how we turn that principle into an agreed legal mechanism, as exists in Northern Ireland.”