Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination

Tuesday, 15 September 2026 05:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Leaders of nationalist parties from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland say Westminster has ‘no right’ to block democracy

The leaders of the main political parties in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have declared their right to “self determination” in a joint agreement signed at a rare meeting in the Welsh capital, Cardiff.

All three parties – the Scottish National Party (SNP), Plaid Cymru in Wales, and the pro-Irish unity Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland – want greater autonomy and eventually independence from the UK, but have different views on issues such as referendums and timelines.

The SNP’s John Swinney, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, and Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth attended in their capacity as party leaders, rather than as officials in their respective governments.

Laura McAllister from Cardiff University told Al Jazeera that the wording of the agreement was “deliberately” couched in the broader “constitutional language of self-determination.”

“This is the first time that the nations of the UK are attempting to drive the constitutional question,” she said. “They also covered some of the more practical policy areas where they may wish to share stances, such as renewable energy, relationships with Europe, and economic development.”