ANDY Burnham has called for Scotland to be given “as close as you can get to home rule” but wants a border with the north of England to be ruled out.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester said that his five years in office has given him “more of a perspective on the Scottish independence debate” as he criticised “London-centric prejudices and attitudes”.

He also hit out at his own party’s strategy in opposing independence at the 2014 referendum, insisting there must be “more thoughtful, substantial alternative on the table”.

Mr Burnham, who has twice lost out on become the UK Labour leader, was speaking at an 'in conversation' event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, hosted by former Labour MSP Neil Findlay.

The senior local politician, who billed himself as an “aspirational socialist” told the audience about his involvement in the Hillsborough tragedy, losing out to Jeremy Corbyn and claimed Oasis were a better Manchester band than The Smiths.

He was pressed over his views on Scottish independence and the wider reforms needed across the United Kingdom.

Mr Burnham said: “Five years as mayor has given me more of a perspective on the Scottish independence debate, to be honest.

When you’re in Westminster, you can’t see all of its faults quite as clearly. I was beginning to get there.

“When you are on the outside negotiating with it, you see those London-centric prejudices and attitudes upfront.”

The Labour politician said that his current role has “made me clear now that this country, the UK, needs to be completely rewired”.

He added: “There needs to be a redistribution of power out of that system, there needs to be a recasting of that Westminster system so all places are meaningful within it.

“I understand how for Scotland, just saying okay, the status quo with a bit more devolution is not an answer if there’s to be another referendum.

“You have to have a much better alternative next time. That for me, is a completely rewired Westminster with proportional representation for the Commons, a senate of the regions and nations elected to replace the House of Lords, much more devolution out of the whole thing.”

He added that the revamped system would include “as close as you can get to home rule for Scotland”.

Mr Burnham said that “even within Scotland”, power needs to be pushed away from central government.

He added: “You could argue there’s an Edinburgh-centric to the thing here…and it’s taken out from communities.

“Our experience would say, you get a more healthier politics the more power people have a t local level to deal with things that matter to them.”

Mr Burnham was asked if he believes “the UK will remain as an entity, will it still be here in five or 10 years’ time”.

He said: “I hope so.

“I never want to see a border across the top of the north of England between us and Scotland in my lifetime.

“We are effectively the same city as Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester – there’s the same history and culture but just with a different character.

“I believe in unions – trade unions, unions of people.”

The Labour mayor told the audience about finding out in a newspaper report that Nicola Sturgeon was imposing a travel ban on people from the north west of England.

He said: “I read news in the paper that the First Minister has imposed a travel ban on Manchester, Salford and Bolton with no consultation with us , no notification.

“That just gave me a glimpse, I guess of what life may be like if the north of England and Scotland is in this intense….it wasn’t good.

“We expect the Tories to treat the north of England with contempt – but that was the Scottish National Party treating the north of England with contempt – it was outrageous.

“That was everything that they complain about the Westminster government for decades but there they go doing it to us.”

Mr Burnham added: “I don’t see how it’s going to be in our interests to have a border up there.

“However, I do think they’ve got a very legitimate point to say the Westminster status quo works for not the north of England, not for Scotland – let’s change it.”

The former Labour UK health secretary criticsed his party for not offering a good enough alternative to Scottish independence.

He said: “I don’t think it’s good enough for Labour to come back next time with the alternatives they had last time, if there’s to be another referendum.

“This time, I think you want much more thoughtful, substantial alternative on the table.

“Then I think that’s a proper answer to some of the sentiment now that I do understand more clearly.”

Mr Burnham added: “I think Labour should be talking to the Liberal Democrats, should be talking to the Green Party here and south of the border and probably should be talking to the SNP.

“I’m not talking about deals, I’m just saying, is there any common ground here for constitutional change short of independence – the Lords would be an obvious example.

“I asked to meet the First Minister and I haven’t had a reply. At least let’s talk about all of this stuff.”