LONDON (The Telegraph) - The leaders of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales on Monday signed a landmark memorandum of understanding, urging the UK government to prepare for constitutional change.
A joint declaration signed by Rhun ap Iorwerth, first minister of Wales and leader of Plaid Cymru, John Swinney, first minister of Scotland and leader of Scottish National Party (SNP), and Michelle O’Neill, first minister of Northern Ireland and vice-president of Sinn Fein party, said the political landscape “is changing.”
“Each of our nations has the right to determine its own future, through democratic means and in accordance with the wishes of its people,” the document noted.
The leaders said they believe the “future of our nations belongs in European Union,” adding that, for the first time ever, there are first ministers in Scotland, in Wales and in the North of Ireland “who are all committed to independence from the UK.”
Saying that Brexit has damaged their economies and limited opportunities for their people, the declaration underlined that the leaders want to work together to rebuild and strengthen those European relationships, creating greater opportunities for trade, investment, culture and cooperation.”
The joint declaration noted: “Our nations have the right to self-determination.”
“We call for the British Government to prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change in each jurisdiction,” read the declaration.
It said no Westminster government “has the right to block democracy or undermine” the principle that the three nations will decide their own future.
“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 noted.
It added: “What unites us is a determination to ensure that the voices of our nations are heard, that our people have the opportunity to thrive, and that cooperation between Scotland, Wales and Ireland can be strengthened.”
The declaration came after the first face-to-face meeting between the three nationalist leaders in Wales, the Welsh capital, earlier on Monday.
For the first time since devolution began in 1997, all three nations have first ministers who want to leave the UK.
Speaking to Sky News ahead of the meeting, O’Neill said that the whole political landscape is “very much changing,” adding that Irish unification is “very much on the table.”
It came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that integrating Ireland and Northern Ireland represents “one of the naturals of all time,” suggesting historical partitions should be resolved.
The remarks followed comments he made Saturday while in Ireland, when he said he would “love” to see a united Ireland.
The “changing political landscape across these islands” meant there was a strong case for “practical political co-operation” on areas like energy, the economy and working with Europe,” a Plaid spokesperson was quoted by the BBC as saying.
Meanwhile, SNP leader Swinney said that the three parties share the belief that “the people of our respective nations must be able to shape their own future.”