Burnham slaps down Swinney's new independence bill as SNP members accuse their own leader of not caring about indy

Andy Burnham's spokesman declared a second Scottish independence referendum 'off the table' hours after John Swinney published a fourth draft referendum bill in a decade, setting the question 'Should Scotland be an independent country?' Opponents swiftly branded the legislation a 'zombie independence bill', with the Supreme Court having already ruled Holyrood cannot legislate for a vote without Westminster's consent. Swinney admitted powers would need to be transferred from Westminster before the bill could even be introduced, a concession Burnham has flatly refused.

SNP rank-and-file members are furious with Swinney, accusing his leadership of 'shutting down debate' after independence resolutions were blocked from the party conference agenda.

Polls persistently show Scotland split down the middle on independence, undermining Swinney's claim that 'Scotland is ready.'

Yes movement moderates say they no longer need Burnham to kill off referendum hopes — the SNP leadership is doing it for him.