Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland Leaders Meet in Cardiff to Push Self-Determination Agreement

First ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to meet in Cardiff on Monday to discuss ways of "working more closely", including on constitutional issues.

“will meet in Cardiff on Monday to discuss ways of "working more closely"”

BBC

The BBC said it will be the first face-to-face meeting between Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth and the SNP's leader John Swinney and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill since ap Iorwerth took office in May, with Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald also attending.

ABC

The leaders are expected to sign an agreement on "future collaboration in areas of shared interest" and to discuss constitutional change alongside cooperation on the economy, energy, Europe, international cooperation and self-determination.

The Nigeria Info FM account said the summit will bring together Scottish First Minister John Swinney, Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill, alongside Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, to sign a joint agreement calling for their nations’ right to self-determination.N

Swinney told reporters that “the status quo is not sustainable,” adding that Westminster must prepare for “a post-UK future” after the meeting.

The BBC reported that the meeting comes days after Scottish independence resurfaced in the Commons, where Burnham compared the situation to conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland under the Good Friday Agreement.

In the BBC account of Burnham’s position, he said a border poll would be "considered by the Northern Ireland Secretary when there is a clear consensus" and then added, "I would say that it is exactly the same situation in Scotland,".

BBC

The Independent described Burnham’s stance as constitutional “off limits,” quoting a senior minister saying a fresh vote on Scottish independence remains "not off the table" despite Downing Street reiterating the constitutional arrangement for Scotland remained strictly "off limits".T

On the BBC’s Sunday Show, Scottish Education Secretary Mairi McAllan said, “An independence referendum is not off the table,” and added that “We devote time to it because it is the transformational change”.

The Guardian said Swinney told it he was encouraged by warm initial discussions with Burnham, but wary about a consensus Westminster view against relinquishing further powers, and it quoted Swinney saying, “We are at a pivotal moment of constitutional change”.

The Media Line said the Cardiff gathering is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding calling on Westminster “to prepare, plan and facilitate constitutional change in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland”.

“to prepare, plan and facilitate constitutional change in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland”

The Media Line

The Guardian similarly said the summit will affirm their countries’ right to seek independence from the UK at a conference in Cardiff on Monday, with Rhun ap Iorwerth, John Swinney and Michelle O’Neill expected to sign the memorandum.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald is described by the BBC as attending Monday and by The Media Line as joining the gathering at Cardiff Bay, where the declaration is framed around self-determination alongside cooperation on the economy, energy and Europe.

The Guardian reported that Trump weighed in on a potential breakup of the UK during a weekend visit to Ireland, telling reporters at a press conference with the taoiseach, Micheál Martin, that he would “love” to see a united Ireland and it “may as well happen now”.

Swinney told the Guardian that “the people of our respective nations must have a meaningful say over their future,” and it said the discussion comes after the prime minister accepted that a referendum should take place when there is majority support for independence in Scotland.