Sturgeon Says Burnham Can't Pick and Choose When Democracy Applies

Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said Sunday that Prime Minister Andy Burnham "can't pick and choose when democracy applies," arguing Labour faces a "glaring contradiction" between reopening the Brexit debate and blocking a second Scottish independence referendum.

Sturgeon spoke on Sky News' Sunday Morning programme with Helen Lewis, according to The Scotsman and The National. She welcomed Labour's renewed discussion of EU ties but said the same democratic logic must apply to Scotland's constitutional question.

"I think it's right that they're opening up the Brexit question again and I hope Andy Burnham nails his colours to the mast of rejoining the EU. But you can't pick and choose when democracy applies," she said, according to both outlets.

Right to change minds

"People in a democracy do have the right to change their mind and I hope people change their minds on Brexit. But if you believe that you cannot say to the people of Scotland that you never ever again have the chance to consider the independence question, particularly when parties supporting independence and another referendum keep winning elections in Scotland," Sturgeon continued, according to The National. The Scotsman recorded a closely matching formulation of the same remarks.

She said the contradiction was sure to play out politically.

Burnham's conference line and indyref block

At Labour's conference in Liverpool last week, Burnham said Brexit had gone badly and that he wanted to present options for a closer UK-Europe relationship around a UK-EU summit later this year, The Scotsman reported. He later acknowledged that could include going "all the way" and rejoining the EU if public opinion favoured it, and he did not rule out a manifesto pledge to rejoin.

Burnham has blocked a second independence referendum, telling First Minister John Swinney the matter was "off limits" in their first meeting after Burnham became prime minister in July, The National reported. He has since said he is focused on the cost of living rather than "constitutional debates."

Norris and SNP response

Justice Secretary Alex Norris, interviewed before Sturgeon's appearance, rejected linking a Brexit reopen to another indyref. "I wouldn't link the two things," he said, according to The Scotsman. "We believe in the union and that we will safeguard it." He recalled that the 2014 vote had been framed as a "generational debate" and said "the answer was the answer."

SNP depute leader Keith Brown echoed Sturgeon's critique. "The logic of Andy Burnham's entirely reasonable decision to revisit Brexit must be extended to the future of Scotland," Brown said, according to The National.