Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland Sign Historic Pact to Reduce Westminster Control, Seek Greater Autonomy

Pressure is mounting on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham after leaders from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales signed a historic pact calling for greater self-determination and challenging Westminster’s control over the devolved administrations.

The joint memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed in Cardiff on Monday, declared that the three nations have the right to decide their own futures and suggested that Westminster’s influence was nearing its end.

“For people watching across these islands, for people watching around the world, there could be no clearer sign that Westminster's time is coming to an end,” the MoU stated.

The agreement was signed by Scottish First Minister John Swinney, First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth and Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill.

Right to self-determination

The leaders said their nations had the right to self-determination and that Westminster should not be able to prevent them from exercising that right.

“Our nations have the right to self-determination: No Westminster govt has the right to block democracy or undermine the principle that our people will decide their own future,” the MoU stated.

While Swinney and O'Neill backed calls for referendums on their nations' futures, Iorwerth stopped short of setting a timeline for a vote in Wales.

Pressure mounts on Burnham

The development has added to the political pressure on Burnham, whose spokesperson Tom Wells defended the union and called for greater cooperation rather than division.

“The United Kingdom is at its best when people come together around our shared values and problem-solving, rather than division,” Wells said.