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."

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.

Robinson said "clearly there are issues" around the budgetary settlement for Northern Ireland and it would form a key part of the DUP's talks with the prime minister.

Burnham said that people in Northern Ireland "want more breathing space from the cost of living, good, well-paid jobs and opportunities for their children".

"Political point scoring in the past has made this harder, not easier," he said in a statement ahead of his trip.

"We need to be better, so I want to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and the main political parties to try and make a real difference to communities here, and that's the message I'll be taking into my meetings later."

Before meeting the 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 local 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.

"If Andy Burnham wants to make a difference, then he can make a difference by actually changing the funding arrangement, because what we have currently does not cut it."

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 are "significant" budgetary pressures he wanted to be able to help.