Burnham says united Ireland poll is 'off the table' during first NI visit

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out calling a referendum on Irish unification, describing a border poll as "off the table".

The Labour leader said votes on Brexit and Scottish independence showed the "risks that come from those situations take a long time to heal".

Speaking during his first official visit to Northern Ireland, he said the focus should instead be on public services and tackling cost-of-living pressures.

"We need to fix the things right in front of us in the here and now," he told BBC News NI.

Burnham met Stormont's first and deputy first ministers, and the leaders of the Northern Ireland Assembly's main parties.

His visit comes amid calls from the power-sharing executive for increased funding from the government to ease budget pressures.

The four-party coalition has yet to set a budget nearly five months into the financial year.

Stormont departments are facing a shortfall of up to £1.6bn, according to a spending watchdog.

With no agreed plan, public services have been operating under contingency arrangements.

Burnham said he wanted to have "an honest exchange" with political leaders in Northern Ireland.

"There are things that we would say if we can work together, have a look at where possible savings can be made or where things can be done differently, it's right and proper that I ask for those assurances," he added.

Burnham was also asked about the prospect of calling a referendum on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK or join with the Republic of Ireland.

The prime minister replied: "Well obviously I'm here as I said earlier to listen and I will take a collaborative approach, but some issues will be off the table and that is one issue that will be off the table.

"Because we've got to focus on bringing people together as best we can."

Burnham cited the 2016 EU referendum and the 2014 vote on Scottish independence.

"What we find is that the risks that come from those situations take a long time to heal and it sets you right back, and you can't focus on what's right in front of us here and now," he added.

"The cost-of-living pressures that are hurting people in Northern Ireland, the need to get that budget set so that public services can function as they should."

He continued: "A decade since the Brexit referendum I think we've had too much division, too much arguing, too much backward-looking.

"We need to fix the things right in the here and now."

After the meetings with politicians, No 10 said the prime minister agreed with the first and deputy first minister that "their shared focus must be on working together to deliver stability, stronger public services and the breathing space people need as they face cost-of-living pressures".

He also "set out his determination to find a solution to the Northern Ireland Executive budget".

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson welcomed the opportunity to engage with the prime minister.

He said Burnham's remarks on a border poll were "particularly encouraging" and were "putting to bed the nonsense" discussed in recent months.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Irish republican party's delegation had a "very frank and very forthright" meeting with Burnham following his remarks in which he ruled out a referendum.

"We have put it to him very strongly that burying his head in the sand is not a plan, not a strategy, not wise and not acceptable to us," she said.

Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson acknowledged Burnham's attempts at "putting power back into the hands of communities and levelling up northern towns" in England, but said this must also include Northern Ireland.

"The starting point for that has to be urgent progress on a budget so that some of the action on the cost of living and public services can be delivered for our constituents here," he added.

The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Jon Burrows acknowledged "spending and government in Northern Ireland has to be more responsible".

But urged that support must be given for a "multi-year budget so we can have sustainable public services".

Social Democratic and Labour Party leader Claire Hanna said the prime minister was someone "that can take on reform".

"We made very clear that that is linked to the budget challenges and the culture wars in some of the periodic and constant attempts to drag politics away from delivery," she added.

Before meeting politicians, the prime minister heard from young people about the issues that impact their lives and their aspirations for the future.

He spoke to teenagers and staff involved in mentoring schemes within Belfast's creative music scene - which seeks to elevate artists and promote the city as a Unesco City of Music.

Earlier on Thursday, Burnham travelled to south Wales - his first official visit to the country since he became prime minister.

Before the trip Burnham announced plans to bring together the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the autumn for a summit to help boost the UK economy.

Speaking ahead of Burnham's visit, First Minister Michelle O'Neill called for a "fair budget settlement that actually works for public services".

"The reality is that we are so underfunded - have been for years," she told reporters on Wednesday.

Talks between Treasury officials and the executive have been taking place over the summer.

On Monday, Northern Ireland secretary Sir Chris Bryant said it was "shocking" that a Stormont budget had yet to be agreed.

He said the executive could consider more "self-help" in the form of revenue-raising, but where there were "significant" budgetary pressures he wanted to be able to help.