Burnham indyref block flies in face of democracy
If Andy Burnham really believes in less centralised democracy then he must not stop the people of Scotland choosing their own future, say the Scottish Greens.
The comments from Green MSP Patrick Harvie follow reports from the Mail on Sunday that Andy Burnham will block the independence referendum that Scotland’s Parliament voted for.
Patrick said:
“Andy Burnham talks about devolution and letting people shape their own future. This will be the first real test of whether he believes it.
“Scotland has just elected the largest pro-independence majority in the history of our Parliament. If that's not a mandate, what is? It's a simple question and one that no Labour leader has been able to answer.
“Andy Burnham is perfectly entitled to argue against Scottish independence. What he shouldn't do is block the people of Scotland from having the choice.
“Refusing to even let the question be asked flies in the face of democracy. Our future should be decided by the people who live in Scotland, not by politicians in London.
“I urge Andy Burnham to rethink his position and the message that a Westminster veto would send. If he really wants to do things differently he should trust the people of Scotland to make the choice they voted to have.”