Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland to sign joint declaration demanding self-determination - report

The summit will take place in Cardiff, where ministers are expected to sign a joint declaration demanding the right to self-determination and to be allowed to hold independence referendums.

The leaders of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set to meet on Monday to sign a joint declaration that may lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom, according to a Sunday report from The Telegraph.

The summit will take place in Cardiff, Wales, where the three ministers are expected to sign a joint declaration demanding the right to self-determination and to be allowed to hold independence referendums.

According to The Telegraph, the declaration will cover multiple areas, including the economy, energy, Europe, internal cooperation, and self-determination.

The three parties will reportedly argue that they should be allowed to join the European Union. Scotland and Wales would join as new members, with Northern Ireland being included as part of the Republic of Ireland.

The memorandum is also set to include commitments to strengthening ties with European nations in preparation for the push for independence.

Sources told The Telegraph that the declaration aims to increase pressure on British Prime Minister Andy Burnham after he stated that a Scottish independence referendum could be held if it was backed by public support.

Burnham claims that there is no consensus for Scottish independence referendum

On Thursday, however, Burnham reportedly sent a letter to Scottish National Party head and Scottish First Minister John Swinney, in which he insisted that a Scottish independence referendum would be “off limits” for the time being.

According to The Telegraph, Burnham claimed that there was “no consensus for an independence referendum in Scotland and nor is there a clear basis to suggest that a majority of people in Northern Ireland presently wish to separate from the United Kingdom.”

The prime minister allegedly asserted that such a referendum would distract from  the need to focus on growing the UK’s economy and lowering the cost of living

On Sunday, Swinney asserted that the momentum behind the independence movement is “undeniable” and posited that Burnham may “go down in history as the final prime minister of the United Kingdom.”

“For the first time ever, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are led by pro-independence first ministers. There could be no clearer sign that the status quo is not sustainable – and that Westminster must prepare for a post-UK future.”