The First Ministers of the UK’s devolved nations will sign a landmark agreement on Monday aimed at putting pressure on Downing Street to hold referendums on independence.
SNP leader John Swinney, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill will meet in Cardiff on Monday, where they are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding pushing for referendums in their respective countries.
The trio will meet in their capacity as party leaders, rather than as officials in their respective governments.
Successive UK governments have been consistently against the holding of referendums on separation since the 2014 vote in Scotland and hopes earlier this week of a softening position were dashed by Downing Street.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the Commons another vote in Scotland could be held if there was a “clear consensus” north of the border for it, but a letter sent to Swinney later clarified a referendum remained “off limits”.
A Sinn Féin source told the Press Association the Cardiff summit will be about “where the parties can work together to make a difference to people’s lives; and how each of our nations has the right to shape its own future through democratic means, guided by the will of its people”.
The source added: “In Ireland, the constitutional future belongs to the people of this island.
“The Good Friday Agreement gives us the democratic means to decide it, and now is the time to prepare seriously for that choice.
“Irish unity is not a distant aspiration.
“The work of building the new Ireland must begin now.”
The meeting is due to take place in Cardiff on Monday.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Welsh First Minister ap Iorweth said: “We’re talking about how we can work together, let’s talk about what we have in common and what we don’t.”
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