"Is Westminster's time running out?": Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are talking about a new future
Three nationalist forces have united: Britain is talking about constitutional changes
The leaders of nationalist parties of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a memorandum of cooperation in Cardiff in which they declared the right of their nations to self-determination and urged the British government to prepare for possible constitutional changes. This was reported on 14 September 2026 by Sky News.
The meeting was attended by the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party John Swinney, the First Minister of Wales and head of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth, the First Minister of Northern Ireland and vice president of Sinn Féin Michelle O’Neill, as well as the president of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald. This is the first time that the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are simultaneously led by representatives of nationalist and pro-independence forces. The politicians, however, met and signed the document precisely as party leaders, and not as official representatives of the three governments.
At the press conference they said that “the time of Westminster is running out”, and that the political situation on the British Isles is changing. John Swinney called the meeting a turning point in the country’s constitutional development.
In the memorandum the parties emphasized that their nations have the right to determine their own future, and that the government of the United Kingdom, in their view, should plan for and facilitate possible constitutional changes in each jurisdiction. At the same time the parties acknowledged that they have different goals and that each nation will follow its own path and its own timetable.
The SNP advocates Scottish independence, Plaid Cymru for an independent Wales, and Sinn Féin seeks the reunification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. Swinney also said he wants a new referendum on Scotland’s independence within the next five years, while O’Neill called for setting a date for a vote on Irish reunification by 2030.
The parties agreed to cooperate not only on constitutional issues. The memorandum provides for an exchange of ideas on economic development, the use of domestic energy resources and international cooperation. The document also states that the future of their nations “belongs to the European Union”.
The UK government in response urged politicians to focus on the cost of living and economic security, not on new referendums. Downing Street stressed that the prime minister Andy Bernem remains a supporter of preserving the United Kingdom.
Against the backdrop of these statements, pro-European sentiments are also growing in Britain. A poll published in April 2026 showed that 53% of voters support the UK returning to the EU, while among supporters of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the “Greens” that figure exceeded 80%.
