The pro-independence leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to sign a deal demanding the right to referendums designed to break up the United Kingdom.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney, Wales’s Rhun ap Iowerth, and Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill, will meet in Cardiff on Monday to make a joint declaration asserting their rights to self-determination.
Mr Swinney, the leader of the Scottish National Party, said on Sunday “the status quo is not sustainable” and that Parliament “must prepare for a post-UK future”, The Telegraph reported.
“The momentum behind serious constitutional change is undeniable. Andy Burnham must now be facing up to the idea that he will go down in history as the final prime minister of the United Kingdom,” he said.
“Tomorrow in Cardiff, I am looking forward to discussing a better future with partners from across these islands – and that only comes with the fresh start of independence.”
The first ministers are expected to sign an agreement covering self-determination, Europe and international cooperation, the economy and energy, and state that all three nations should be in the EU – Scotland and Wales as new members, and Northern Ireland as part of the Republic of Ireland.
They will sign a memorandum of understanding committing to cooperation and strengthening relations with EU nations in preparation for independence.
Mr Burnham, who took over as Labour leader and Prime Minister from Keir Starmer in June, said on Wednesday that Scotland could be authorised to hold another independence referendum if there was clear public consensus in favour, and that the situation was the same in Northern Ireland.
Irish opposition leader, Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald, will also join the summit, which comes just two days after US President Donald Trump said during a visit to Dublin that a united Ireland would be a “fantastic thing”.
“I don’t want to cause any problems, but I’d love to see it unified,” Mr Trump said.
“It’s going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.”
Header image: Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Number 10)
