The leaders of the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin have declared that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end” in a joint agreement to increase pressure on the UK Government to hold independence referendums.
SNP leader John Swinney, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill signed the memorandum of understanding at a meeting in Cardiff this morning.
Joining them was Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the opposition in the Irish Dáil.
Together, the leaders called on the UK Government to “prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change”.
The meeting was held in their capacity as party leaders rather than as representatives of their respective governments.
The historic agreement also sets out ambitions for greater cooperation on the economy, energy and international affairs.
It states: “The political landscape across these islands is changing. For the first time ever, people across these islands have first ministers in Scotland, in Wales and in the North of Ireland who are all committed to independence from the United Kingdom.
“For people watching across these islands – for people watching around the world – there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end.”
The leaders argue that there is “a better way”, based on nations working together as equals, sharing expertise and building relationships founded on mutual respect and common interests.
The cross-party representatives signed the memorandum of understanding at a meeting in Cardiff this morning
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They add: “Momentum is behind our movements; we believe that constitutional change is coming.”
The agreement commits the parties to strengthening cooperation and identifying practical areas where closer collaboration could deliver tangible benefits.
It also sets out plans to “reject Whitehall’s broken economic model”, share ideas to promote economic growth and expand energy resources.
The document further states that “the future of our nations belongs in the European Union”.
The leaders maintain that their nations have the right to self-determination and argue that no UK Government should be able to prevent democratic decisions about their constitutional futures.
“We recognise that our parties have different constitutional positions and that each nation will determine its own future in its own way and in its own time,” they say.
“We call for the British Government to prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change in each jurisdiction.”
Mr Swinney said that a Scottish independence referendum “must be held within the next five years”, arguing there is a mandate for independence due to the pro-independence majority of MSPs.
‘We call for the British Government to prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change in each jurisdiction’, the document reads
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The SNP leader predicted that Andy Burnham would be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and that Scots would vote to leave the union in the event of another independence referendum.
He said: “The people of Scotland, if given the choice of independence in a referendum, will take that choice, because all of the information that we see in front of us about the trends in opinion polling indicate that’s the preference of the people of Scotland.”
But he said the country had faced “obstruction” from the Andy Burnham’s government, which has rejected SNP calls for another referendum.
“The people of Scotland are entitled to decide their own future,” he said during a press conference.