PRIME Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out “further referendums” in calls with devolved leaders, Downing Street has said.
The Makerfield MP, who took over in Number 10 from Keir Starmer on Monday, has spoken to First Minister of Scotland John Swinney, First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill, and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly.
Burnham said he was focused on "practical measures not constitutional changes" in a call with Swinney on Tuesday morning.
It comes after Swinney said that he told Burnham that with a pro-independence majority in Holyrood, the future of Scotland must be "decided by the people of Scotland".
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In a read out following the phone calls, a spokesperson for Downing Street said: "The Prime Minister had calls with the First Minister of Scotland, the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland today.
"The Prime Minister said he was serious about creating a new politics - rooted in finding common ground based on collaborative, practical and pragmatic relations with the Heads of the Devolved Governments.
"Working in partnership, the Prime Minister said together they could drive deeper devolution to all parts of the United Kingdom to get growth going.
"The Prime Minister added he was focused on practical measures, not constitutional changes like further referendums, to give families more breathing room by helping them with the cost of living, which he had done today by helping millions of households with their energy bills.
"The Prime Minister said he looked forward to meeting with the Heads of the Devolved Governments soon and visiting Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland shortly."
Burnham reportedly told Swinney they will have to "agree to disagree" on Scottish independence on Tuesday morning.
It was the first time the two leaders had spoken since the Prime Minister took office, with Swinney extending an invitation to visit Scotland “at the earliest opportunity”.
While Swinney raised the issue of Scottish independence in the hopes of advancing the debate, a UK Government source told the Press Association the Prime Minister had been resistant.
“When the question of independence was raised, the Prime Minister was quite firm they would have to agree to disagree,” he said.
“It’s not something he’s focused on and it’s not a conversation that he’s interested in taking forward.”
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The rest of the call, the source said, was “quite warm and constructive”, with the Prime Minister stressing the areas where the two Governments can work together and his drive for a “new kind of politics”.
We told how a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said that Swinney "set out the majority within the Scottish Parliament for the future of Scotland to be decided by the people of Scotland and looked forward to a constructive dialogue on this issue".
It comes as Burnham kept Douglas Alexander as Scottish Secretary while appointing his new Cabinet.
First Minister of Wales ap Iorwerth said he had congratulated Burnham on becoming Prime Minister on Tuesday morning and set out his hope that "we can build a positive and productive relationship".
"I urged him to turn his commitment to devolution into action by giving Wales the powers we need to improve outcomes for all our communities on policing, justice, the Crown Estates, rail and on funding.
"I also conveyed my eagerness to work with him to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
"I look forward to a meeting very soon so I can begin our discussions on behalf of the people of Wales."