Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland First Ministers Declare Westminster's Time Is Ending
- The first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint agreement on Monday, declaring no Westminster government had the right to block democracy
- SNP's John Swinney and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill both called for independence referendums at a joint press conference, while Wales' Rhun ap Iorwerth stopped short of naming a timeline
- Labour and Reform hit back at Plaid Cymru, accusing the party of seeking to break up the United Kingdom
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The first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint agreement on Monday declaring that "Westminster's time is coming to an end," marking a historic moment in which all three devolved nations are simultaneously led by politicians who want to leave the United Kingdom.
John Swinney of the Scottish National Party, Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru, and Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin gathered as representatives of their respective parties, with Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald also present. The meeting was the first of its kind since devolution began.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC, the memorandum of understanding signed by the three leaders states: "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 document also asserted that no Westminster government holds the right to "block democracy."
Referendum calls divide the leaders
Despite the united front, the three leaders were not entirely aligned on next steps. Swinney and O'Neill used a joint press conference to call openly for independence referendums in their respective nations. Ap Iorwerth, however, declined to give any timetable for a referendum in Wales, drawing a visible line between his position and those of his counterparts.
In a separate development, the governments of Scotland and Wales backed a second agreement, committing to work together to push the UK government on what they described as "fairness" in funding and the devolution of further powers.
UK parties push back
The declarations drew swift criticism from Westminster. Both Labour and Reform targeted Plaid Cymru directly, accusing the party of pursuing the breakup of the United Kingdom.
The gathering represents the first time all three devolved administrations have been led simultaneously by pro-independence parties since devolution came into force, a development that the signatories described as a landmark signal to audiences both within the British Isles and internationally.
Source: Legit.ng
