Leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald — signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Cardiff on Monday declaring their intention to dismantle the United Kingdom and asserting a right to self-determination, according to The Zioneer. The signatories said 'Westminster's time is coming to an end' and called on the London government to prepare for dissolution. The agreement follows a joint self-determination declaration reported earlier Monday.
The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding in Cardiff on Monday, explicitly calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government to prepare for the dissolution of the United Kingdom. The signatories — John Swinney (SNP), Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin), Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald — declared that 'Westminster's time is coming to an end,' according to The Zioneer.
The move caps a rapid series of developments. On Sunday, The Zioneer reported, citing The Telegraph, that the leaders planned to sign a joint demand for independence referendums. As The Zioneer went on to report at 19:51 Monday, the leaders had earlier in the day signed a self-determination pact affirming their right to self-determination and issued a joint declaration envisioning their nations' future within the European Union. The Memorandum of Understanding now adds an explicit demand for London to begin dissolution arrangements.
The coordinated push by the leaders of all three devolved nations represents the most serious challenge to the constitutional unity of the United Kingdom in decades. The Zioneer has not received an immediate response from Downing Street.
It remains unclear how the Burnham government will respond, and whether the leaders plan to set a timeline for referendums. The signatories have not detailed the next steps beyond calling on London to prepare for dissolution.
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