The Cabinet Office has done polling on Scottish indepndence since Andy Burnham came to power (Image: Getty)
Ministers must publish unreleased documents on Scottish independence polling, the SNP has demanded. The Cabinet Office has conducted polling on the issue since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
The department has refused to publish the results of this.
Former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard, who has been involved in fighting for the UK Government to reveal results of previous unreleased polls, said: “I don’t have any objection to the Cabinet Office or the Government consulting the public to inform policy development.” Speaking to the Sunday National, he added: “But if they’re going to spend taxpayers’ money on doing that, then the taxpayer has a right to know what the results are.”
Mr Burnham at Prime Minister’s Questions in September said that the conditions for Scottish independence should be “exactly the same” as for Irish unification.
At the time, Mr Burnham said that there would have to be “a clear consensus [and] I am not aware that there is a majority of public support for another referendum, and until that changes, there won’t be one”.
Mr Burnham’s official spokesman declined to explain what he had meant by a “clear consensus”.
In October, Mr Burnham was in Lanarkshire to make a “serious and genuine offer” to the Scottish Government to put more control “in the hands of local people” through devolution.
After that speech, the Prime Minister was again asked about Scotland’s path to independence. He said: “I just feel we all have to move beyond the constitutional questions.”
Mr Sheppard said: “Burnham talks all the time about transparency in government and the Government not being centralised, autocratic and remote from the people. So, if that’s true, then how can he possibly justify using taxpayers’ money for policy development research and not releasing the results?
“He’s said that if there was growing support for independence, then it would be proper to look at another referendum. So, if he’s asking the question, I think we all have a right to know what the answer was.”
SNP MSP Calum Kerr has demanded the results and documents on the polls be published in full, with the costs having also been concealed by the UK Government.
He said: “The UK Labour Government must publish these documents and results in full, and you can only conclude that their unwillingness to disclose the costs demonstrates this programme of research must be extensive.
“Poll after poll shows independence is the preferred position of the Scottish people. Three out of four nations in the UK are led by pro-independence First Ministers, and the British Prime Minister has agreed it is for the people of Scotland to decide our own future.
“It is no wonder this behind-closed-doors Whitehall operation is in place.”
This is not the first time a UK Government has done extensive polling on Scottish independence using public money and refused to publish the results.
Between January 2018 and May 2019, the then-Conservative UK government spent at least £264,807 hiring polling companies to research public attitudes to the Union.
The government’s refusal to publish the results triggered a long-running legal battle spearheaded by former SNP MP Sheppard, founder of the The Stand comedy clubs in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
A government spokesman said: “The UK Government regularly commissions research across the UK to help understand peoples’ priorities, and ensure the delivery of public services. The Prime Minister strongly believes in the Union, and does not support another referendum on Scottish independence.”
Scottish Independence Chaos as Nationalists Demand Andy Burnham Release Secret Data
A fresh political controversy has erupted in Scotland after Scottish National Party politicians demanded that Prime Minister Andy Burnham publish confidential government research into public attitudes towards Scottish independence. The dispute has raised serious questions about transparency, the use of taxpayers’ money and the future of the United Kingdom.
The controversy emerged after a Freedom of Information request revealed that the Cabinet Office had commissioned polling on Scottish independence since Burnham became Prime Minister. However, the government has refused to publish the findings or disclose how much public money has been spent on the research.
The refusal has angered Scottish nationalists, who argue that taxpayers have a right to know what the government has discovered about public opinion on one of the country’s most important constitutional questions.
For the SNP, the issue is about more than unpublished polling figures. It is about whether Westminster is genuinely prepared to respect Scotland’s democratic wishes and provide an honest account of the political situation.
SNP Demands Answers From Andy Burnham
The SNP has called on the UK Government to release all documents, polling results and financial information relating to the research.
Former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard has been particularly outspoken, arguing that there is nothing inherently wrong with the government commissioning research to understand public attitudes.
However, he believes that when taxpayers finance such research, they should have the right to see the results.
Sheppard has questioned why ministers would spend public money investigating Scottish independence while refusing to disclose what the research actually discovered.
His argument is straightforward: if the government is using public funds to understand whether Scotland wants independence, the public should be allowed to examine the findings.
SNP MSP Calum Kerr has also demanded full transparency, questioning why both the results and the costs of the research have remained undisclosed.
The nationalist party believes that the government must explain the extent of its polling programme and whether the findings have influenced its constitutional policies.
What Is the Government Trying to Find Out?
The Cabinet Office regularly commissions research into public attitudes to help ministers understand political, economic and social developments.
In this case, the research concerns Scottish independence and public opinion about the future of the United Kingdom.
The subject is particularly sensitive because support for independence has remained competitive with support for remaining in the Union.
Polling can help governments understand changes in public attitudes, identify concerns among voters and assess how different political developments affect constitutional preferences.
However, the refusal to release the findings has created suspicion among nationalist politicians.
They question whether the government is withholding information because the results could create political difficulties for Westminster.
There is currently no publicly established evidence that the polling shows a particular level of support for independence or that ministers are concealing results for political reasons.
Nevertheless, the lack of transparency has intensified demands for an explanation.
Andy Burnham’s Position on Scottish Independence
The controversy comes after Burnham made several important statements about Scotland’s constitutional future.
During Prime Minister’s Questions in September, he suggested that the conditions for another Scottish independence referendum should be comparable to those applying to a potential referendum on Irish reunification.
He indicated that a referendum could be considered if there were a clear consensus and sufficient evidence of public support.
His comments attracted immediate attention because he had previously told Scottish First Minister John Swinney that another independence referendum was off limits.
Swinney welcomed the apparent change in tone and subsequently wrote to the Prime Minister requesting discussions about establishing an agreed legal mechanism for a future referendum.
However, Downing Street later insisted that there had been no change in government policy.
Burnham also reiterated that there was currently no clear public consensus for another referendum and that the government wanted to concentrate on economic growth and the cost of living.
This apparent difference between his parliamentary comments and the government’s subsequent clarification has added another dimension to the independence debate.
John Swinney Wants Scotland’s Future Decided by Scots
Scottish First Minister John Swinney continues to argue that the people of Scotland should have the right to determine their own constitutional future.
The SNP believes that Scotland should not be permanently prevented from holding another independence referendum simply because Westminster opposes it.
Nationalists point to the democratic mandate they claim from Scottish elections and the continuing public debate surrounding independence.
They also argue that Scotland’s political circumstances have changed considerably since the 2014 referendum.
Brexit is one of the most important developments.
In 2014, Scotland voted by 55 per cent to 45 per cent to remain part of the United Kingdom. However, the UK subsequently voted to leave the European Union in 2016, despite Scotland having voted overwhelmingly to remain.
The SNP has repeatedly argued that Scotland should not have been taken out of the EU against the wishes of its electorate.
For nationalists, this remains an important argument for reconsidering independence.
Unionist politicians, however, maintain that the 2014 referendum settled the constitutional question and that another vote should not be held without compelling evidence of sustained public demand.
Why the Government Is Refusing to Release the Data
The refusal to publish the research has become the central issue in the latest dispute.
Government departments regularly commission confidential research to inform policy development. Not every piece of internal research is automatically published, and some information may be withheld under Freedom of Information exemptions.
However, critics argue that constitutional research involving significant public expenditure should be subject to particularly strong transparency standards.
The government has defended its general right to commission research into public priorities, maintaining that such work helps ensure public services and policies respond to people’s needs.
It has also stated that Burnham strongly believes in maintaining the United Kingdom and does not support another Scottish independence referendum.
Nevertheless, this explanation has not satisfied SNP politicians.
They want to know how much the research cost, which organisations conducted it, what questions were asked and what conclusions were reached.
Without those details, it is difficult for the public to assess the scale and purpose of the programme.
Scotland’s Independence Debate Remains Divided
The independence question remains one of the most important political issues in Scotland.
Supporters believe independence would allow Scotland to make its own decisions on taxation, public spending, immigration, energy and international relations.
They also argue that Scotland could pursue a closer relationship with the European Union if it became an independent country.
Opponents warn that independence could create serious economic and constitutional challenges.
Questions surrounding currency, public debt, pensions, trade arrangements and the future of Scotland’s public finances would need to be addressed.
There would also be difficult negotiations with the rest of the United Kingdom and potentially with European institutions.
These are not minor technical details. They would have significant consequences for households, businesses and public services.
Consequently, any future referendum campaign would need to explain not only why Scotland should become independent but also how an independent country would operate in practice.
The Political Pressure on Westminster
The latest controversy places additional pressure on Burnham’s government.
The Prime Minister must balance the demands of Scottish nationalists with the expectations of voters who support maintaining the United Kingdom.
At the same time, his government faces pressure to demonstrate that it is more transparent and accountable than previous administrations.
The question of unpublished polling provides the SNP with an opportunity to challenge Westminster’s approach to Scotland.
If the government wants to convince Scottish voters that the Union offers a positive future, critics argue that it must demonstrate openness and respect for democratic debate.
Simply refusing another referendum without addressing concerns about public opinion could leave constitutional tensions unresolved.
However, releasing polling information would not automatically establish that Scotland has a mandate for independence or that another referendum should take place.
Public opinion research is only one part of a much wider democratic and constitutional process.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is likely to remain on the SNP’s demands for the publication of the Cabinet Office research.
Tommy Sheppard and Calum Kerr want the government to release the documents, results and financial information in full.
Whether ministers agree to disclose everything remains uncertain.
The dispute could also revive wider questions about the legal and political conditions required for another Scottish independence referendum.
For now, Burnham has maintained that there is insufficient public support for another vote and that his government does not support independence.
However, the continued disagreement between Westminster and Holyrood means that Scotland’s constitutional future is unlikely to disappear from the political agenda.
Conclusion
The demands for Andy Burnham to release unpublished Scottish independence polling have created another difficult political challenge for the UK Government.
At the heart of the controversy is a simple question: should taxpayers be allowed to see the results of research paid for with public money?
The SNP believes the answer is yes and argues that withholding the information undermines confidence in Westminster.
The government maintains that commissioning research is a normal part of understanding public opinion and developing policy.
But the wider political consequences are significant.
Scotland’s independence debate remains unresolved, Brexit continues to influence constitutional arguments and relations between Westminster and Holyrood remain politically sensitive.
For Burnham, the challenge is to demonstrate that his government is prepared to be transparent while maintaining its position on the future of the United Kingdom.
For Scottish nationalists, the demand for the release of the data is another opportunity to keep independence at the centre of the national conversation.
Ultimately, the future of Scotland should be debated using reliable information, clear economic arguments and democratic principles. Publishing the research would allow the public to examine the evidence for themselves rather than relying on political claims from either side.