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Swinney asks prime minister for legal mechanism for independence vote
John Swinney joined actor Brian Cox and Scottish Greens co-leaders on a pro-independence March in Edinburgh earlier this year
First Minister John Swinney has written to the prime minister inviting him to meet and consider the constitutional future of Scotland.
Swinney's letter calls for a legal mechanism to be established for triggering an independence vote following comments from Andy Burnham which some have interpreted as a softening of his stance on the issue.
Burnham told MPs on Wednesday that both in Scotland and Northern Ireland, a border poll would be considered if public opinion had changed and there was a clear consensus.
But he added that he did not believe that had happened, and Downing Street later insisted there was no change in his position that such a vote was currently "off limits".
John Swinney argues there must be a legal mechanism for Scotland to become independent
In his letter Swinney welcomed Burnham's remarks, external, claiming it signalled an acceptance that majority support for independence in Scotland should trigger a new referendum.
He said it was a "long-overdue acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future".
He concluded: "Now that you have agreed the principle that Scotland should have a referendum when it is likely that people would vote for independence, it is important for us to meet to discuss how we turn that principle into an agreed legal mechanism, as exists in Northern Ireland."
Burnham was responding to a question at Prime Minister's Questions from Dundee SNP MP Chris Law.