Leaders of the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin signed a pact in Cardiff on Monday, September 14, calling on the UK government to prepare for constitutional change. AP and El País reported that the parties pledged coordinated efforts over the future of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with democratic choice central to their statement.
Scotland’s John Swinney and Wales’s Rhun ap Iorwerth met Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald. ITV reported that the participants were meeting as party leaders. That distinction matters because O’Neill shares leadership of Northern Ireland’s government with the Democratic Unionist Party, which supports remaining in the UK.
According to El País, the memorandum says each nation should determine its future democratically and in accordance with its people’s wishes. AP reported that the leaders also placed their future alongside the European Union. The shared initiative brings together support for Scottish and Welsh independence and for Irish reunification, distinct constitutional objectives.
The move drew objections from unionists. PA reporting carried by Perspective said DUP leader Gavin Robinson rejected any suggestion that O’Neill represented Northern Ireland’s executive at the summit. Axios reported that a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham maintained that referendum calls were premature without a clear shift in public opinion.
Separately, the Scottish government announced a Cardiff Agreement with the Welsh government on September 14. Signed by Swinney and ap Iorwerth, it covers child poverty, living standards, economic growth, climate resilience, engagement with the EU, and language, culture, media and sport. This is a governmental cooperation agreement between Scotland and Wales, distinct from the parties’ constitutional memorandum.
AP reported that Swinney and O’Neill called for referendums, while ap Iorwerth gave no Welsh timetable. The political pact itself does not authorize a vote or change borders. Meanwhile, the Scottish government said its separate agreement with Wales would support evidence sharing, joint policy development and contacts between ministers and officials, setting out practical work alongside the constitutional debate.
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