LONDON, September 14. /TASS/. The first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth and Michelle O’Neill – have signed a memorandum of understanding affirming the regions’ right to leave the United Kingdom.
The signing ceremony took place in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.
In particular, the leaders called on the British government to "prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change" so that the regions could hold referendums on leaving the UK. "The future of our nations belongs in the European Union," they pointed out. The memorandum adds that the first ministers intend to boost economic cooperation.
The Cardiff summit took place two days after US President Donald Trump said at a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin that he would like to see Ireland and Northern Ireland reunite. Notably, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham had ruled out a referendum on the issue during a trip to Belfast on August 27.
According to RTE, Swinney, ap Iorwerth and O’Neill did not meet as the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but as members of the Scottish National Party, the Plaid Cymru left-wing Welsh nationalist party, and the Sinn Fein Irish Republican party.
Discussions about a potential reunification of Ireland intensified amid Sinn Fein’s electoral achievements in Northern Ireland. The 1998 Belfast Agreement provides for Dublin potentially taking control of Northern Ireland if the majority of people in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland so wish.
A referendum on Scotland’s independence took place in 2014, with 55% of participants voting to preserve the union between Edinburgh and London. However, the Scottish National Party has for several years been pushing for another plebiscite, citing a changed situation following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The Plaid Cymru party came to power in Wales for the first time after the May 7 regional parliamentary elections.