Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has welcomed the prospect of SNP MPs voting on measures that only affect the NHS in England.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon last month revealed that her MPs could end their self-imposed policy of sitting out votes on England-only health measures in the next parliament.

Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Post, Burnham at first intimated that he was unaware of the change in SNP stance, despite the fact he could have to rely on nationalist votes in parliament to get measures through should he be part of a Labour-SNP administration after May’s election.

He added: “I don’t have any objection, I think the SNP should do that because that’s how things should work in a United Kingdom.

“The SNP are following the logic of a having a parliament for all of the UK and the decisions it should make. The health system of England does have an impact on Scotland, it does have an impact on Wales because of its size and therefore policy in England does affect Scotland’s ability to recruit and to train and in fact some things are done on a UK basis.”

Burnham also announced 20,000 new nurses if Labour win, including 1300 in the north-east of England and 3200 in the north-west. He wants to recruit the staff from their local area.