Swinney went as far as suggesting that Burnham is ‘facing up to the idea that he will go down in history as the final prime minister of the United Kingdom’ (Picture: Getty)
The First Ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will sign a landmark agreement on Monday to pressure 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.
Swinney went as far as suggesting that Burnham is ‘facing up to the idea that he will go down in history as the final prime minister of the United Kingdom’.
The three are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding pushing for referendums in their respective countries. The meeting is as party leaders – not as officials of their respective governments.
Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP has already said Ms O’Neill has ‘not sought any agreement or permission from me to travel, attend or sign anything as First Minister’.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
UK governments have been consistently against the holding of referendums on separation since the 2014 vote in Scotland.
Swinney will meet with Iorwerth and O’Neill(Picture: PA)
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 Mr Swinney later clarified a referendum remained ‘off limits’.
The issue of a border poll in Ireland has been thrust into the spotlight following weekend comments from Donald Trump in support of Irish unity.
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.’
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Welsh First Minister Mr 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.’
UK governments have been against the holding of referendums on separation since 2014 (Credits: Leon Neal/PA Wire)
He added: ‘There’s also something that ties us together, isn’t there? That pursuit of a different attitude from the UK Government.
‘It could be around the constitutional question; it could, more acutely, be around fair funding, making sure resources are shared in a way that is equitable, that feels fair, that we have the powers to build the future for the people that we represent.’
The meeting also comes after Scotland’s Education Secretary said another referendum was ‘not off the table’.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Show, Scottish Education Secretary Mairi McAllan said: ‘An independence referendum is not off the table.
‘We devote time to it because it is the transformational change that allows Scotland to stand on its own two feet in the world and to fulsomely pursue the better that we want.’
The ‘status quo in the UK is unsustainable’, Ms McAllan added, pointing to the First Ministers of both Northern Ireland and Wales being in support of leaving the UK.
‘The only people who, until last week anyway, didn’t appear to understand that were the UK Government.
‘But the Prime Minister stood at the despatch box in the House of Commons last week and was clear that Scotland must have a route to choose our own future, so we just want that agreed now in a legal format so that we can take forward our mandate in Scotland.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Arrow
MORE: Andy Burnham ‘set to announce £200 energy bill cut’ – would you qualify?
Arrow
MORE: Fraudster stole £200,000 from family – including grandad’s life savings
Arrow
MORE: Donald Trump says a united Ireland would be ‘a fantastic thing’
Comments
Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google
Add as preferred source
News Updates
Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.