ANDY Burnham's decision to reject calls for a second Scottish independence referendum "flies in the face of democracy", the Scottish Greens have warned.
Burnham told a group of Scottish Labour MPs that he is "not willing to consider" a second vote, despite his support for further devolution.
Sources at the meeting told the Mail on Sunday that Burnham was firm in his opposition to a second referendum, with one attendee saying: "Andy was crystal clear that it is not something he is going to be considering".
Another MP said that Burnham "made the point that he's not a fan of referendums, isn't going to be granting one, and it's not something he is willing to consider".
It comes despite Burnham previously to increase devolution across the UK – including the devolved nations – with plans for a "Number 10 North" based in Manchester to redistribute power.
The Scottish Greens have now hit back, arguing that if Andy Burnham "really believes in less centralised democracy, then he must not stop the people of Scotland choosing their own future".
“Andy Burnham talks about devolution and letting people shape their own future," Patrick Harvie MSP said.
"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."
Harvie said that while Burnham is "perfectly entitled to argue against Scottish independence", he should not "block the people of Scotland from having the choice".
“Refusing to even let the question be asked flies in the face of democracy," Harvie added.
"Our future should be decided by the people who live in Scotland, not by politicians in London."
Harvie urged Burnham to reconsider 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.”
Meanwhile, SNP MSP David Linden said that Burnham was yet another "Westminster politician disrespecting Scottish democracy before they have even started measuring the curtains in Downing Street".
He said: “Andy Burnham has promised to break with the past and he must be true to that – Scotland voted for a referendum, Scotland voted for more powers to be in our hands. Those promises must be met.
“The disastrous Brexit, the tax on Scotland's energy which is costing thousands of jobs and the hike on national insurance which is strangling Scotland’s economy – that is the cost of Westminster."
Linden added: “Westminster policies have wiped billions of pounds from Scotland’s economy, and causing unemployment and the cost of living to soar, it’s clear Scotland needs the full powers of independence so we can build a stronger economy and a better future.”
