Political leaders from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have signed a joint memorandum calling for the right of their nations to determine their own constitutional futures, in a fresh challenge to the authority of Westminster.
The agreement was reached in Cardiff on Monday during a summit involving Scottish First Minister John Swinney, Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald also attended the meeting.
The leaders are seeking greater cooperation among their respective political movements and support for the principle that people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to decide their constitutional futures through democratic processes.
The memorandum calls on the UK Government to facilitate constitutional change and allow the nations to hold referendums on their futures. The parties also agreed to explore practical cooperation in areas including the economy, energy, Europe and international relations.
Swinney said the meeting represented an important moment for the three nations and argued that their political futures should be determined by their people.
“Our parties share the common belief that our interests will never be served by Westminster, and that the people of our respective nations must have a meaningful say over their future,” Swinney said.
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The agreement comes at a significant time for the UK’s constitutional debate. The Scottish National Party has continued to campaign for another independence referendum, following Scotland’s 2014 vote in which voters rejected independence.
The issue gained renewed attention after the 2016 Brexit referendum, when Scotland voted to remain in the European Union while the UK as a whole voted to leave.
In Wales, Plaid Cymru has also promoted greater autonomy and Welsh independence. The party’s involvement in Monday’s agreement places its constitutional campaign alongside the Scottish and Northern Irish movements in a more coordinated political effort.
Northern Ireland’s situation is different. Sinn Féin is seeking a referendum on Irish reunification, which would give voters the opportunity to decide whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or become part of a united Ireland.
The Cardiff agreement does not mean that Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland are becoming independent. It is instead a political demand for the right to hold democratic votes on their constitutional futures.
The development nevertheless puts additional pressure on Westminster as the three devolved nations seek greater control over their political affairs.
The summit also comes shortly after US President Donald Trump expressed support for Irish reunification during his visit to Ireland. Trump said he would like to see Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland united, while declining to discuss Scottish independence for now. Reuters reported his comments on Sunday, while the Associated Press also reported the renewed debate surrounding Irish unity.
The Cardiff meeting is therefore likely to add further momentum to an increasingly prominent debate over the future structure of the United Kingdom, particularly as nationalist parties in the three nations seek to make self-determination a central political issue.
