For the first time since the devolution era began, the leaders of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have gathered in Cardiff united by a shared conviction: that their nations' futures lie beyond the United Kingdom. This alignment of nationalist will across three devolved governments is historically unprecedented, arriving at a moment when even the Prime Minister has let slip words that suggest the constitutional settlement may be less fixed than it once appeared. Whether this meeting marks the opening of a new chapter in British history or simply a convergence of ambitions without a common
Nationalist leaders of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland meet to explore closer ties
Every nation across these islands is standing at a moment of incredible constitutional opportunity
Mark
So these three leaders are meeting to talk about independence. Are they actually planning to hold referendums?
Mimi
Not immediately, no. Ap Iorwerth has explicitly ruled out a referendum during his first term. He's framing it as a conversation first. But they're laying groundwork—commissions, discussions, coordination.
Luke
Right, and that's worth noting. The headline is "nationalist leaders meet," but the actual commitments are much softer. Swinney and ap Iorwerth will sign an agreement on collaboration, but on independence itself, there's no timeline.
Mark
What about Burnham's comments on Scottish referendums? That seemed like a big shift.
Mimi
It did. He compared it to Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement, suggesting a referendum could happen if public opinion moved that way. But then he immediately clarified that another Scottish referendum is "off limits."
Luke
So we have a statement, a clarification, and then interpretation. What Burnham actually meant is still unclear. The SNP read it as opening a door; the government says the door is closed.
Mark
What are they actually planning to work on together?
Mimi
Energy, economy, European relations, funding reform. The Barnett formula is a real issue—Wales says it's underfunded, Scotland says it does well under the current system. That's a practical tension.
Luke
And that's the interesting part. They're nationalist parties, yes, but they also have different material interests. Scotland benefits from the current funding formula. Wales doesn't. That's not ideology; that's math.
Mark
How much public support is there for independence in each nation?
Mimi
The source doesn't give us current polling. We know Scotland voted 55-45 to stay in the UK in 2014, but that was twelve years ago. Public opinion has likely shifted, but we don't have numbers here.
Luke
Exactly. The story says there's "momentum" and "consensus" that Westminster doesn't work, but those are attributed to the leaders themselves. We don't know what voters actually think right now.
Mark
What's the opposition saying?
Mimi
Welsh Conservatives want ap Iorwerth focused on NHS and schools. Reform UK calls them separatists. The DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly criticized O'Neill for attending. The UK government says it's committed to the union.
Luke
Which tells you something: this meeting is politically divisive, but it's not causing a constitutional crisis. It's a conversation among three elected leaders. The opposition is criticizing, not panicking.
Le Pouls
- For the first time since devolution, all three devolved nations are simultaneously led by first ministers who openly seek independence from the UK — a political alignment that redraws the map of British constitutional pressure.
- Prime Minister Burnham's unguarded comparison of Scottish independence to Northern Ireland's border poll mechanism sent shockwaves through Westminster, even after he hastily retracted it, because the words had already given the nationalist leaders new ammunition.
- Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are moving to formalise cooperation on energy, economic development, and European engagement, turning what might have been symbolic solidarity into a framework for coordinated political action.
- Unionist and opposition voices are pushing back hard, accusing the nationalist leaders of prioritising constitutional ambition over urgent domestic crises like the Welsh NHS and school standards.
- The devolved leaders are set to meet Burnham next month, a test of whether his apparent flexibility on constitutional questions reflects genuine openness or was merely a slip of the tongue quickly papered over.
For the first time since the devolution era began, the leaders of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have gathered in Cardiff united by a shared conviction: that their nations' futures lie beyond the United Kingdom. This alignment of nationalist will across three devolved governments is historically unprecedented, arriving at a moment when even the Prime Minister has let slip words that suggest the constitutional settlement may be less fixed than it once appeared. Whether this meeting marks the opening of a new chapter in British history or simply a convergence of ambitions without a common path forward, it places the question of self-determination at the very centre of these islands' political life.
Three nationalist first ministers gathered in Cardiff on Monday for a meeting that would have seemed impossible a generation ago. Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru hosted John Swinney of the SNP and Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin — the first time all three devolved nations have simultaneously been led by figures who openly want to leave the United Kingdom. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald also attended.
Beyond the symbolism, the meeting carried practical weight. Ap Iorwerth and Swinney were expected to sign a formal collaboration agreement covering energy policy, economic development, and European engagement. The leaders also planned to address what a Plaid spokesperson described as "the wider political and constitutional questions facing our nations and on the right to self-determination."
The gathering was given added charge by events at Westminster just days earlier. During Prime Minister's Questions, Andy Burnham appeared to suggest that a second Scottish independence referendum could be held if public opinion shifted decisively — drawing a parallel to the Good Friday Agreement's provisions for a border poll in Northern Ireland. He quickly walked back the remark, insisting another referendum remained "off limits," but Swinney had already seized on it, declaring "undeniable" momentum behind constitutional change.
In Wales, ap Iorwerth has stopped short of committing to an independence referendum in his first term, framing the process instead as a "national conversation" backed by a new commission to lay groundwork for future planning. His government is also pressing Burnham for expanded devolved powers, including control over policing and youth justice — an ask Burnham has signalled some openness to.
Not all voices welcomed the meeting. Northern Ireland's DUP deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly criticised O'Neill's attendance, while Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar argued ap Iorwerth should be focused on the NHS crisis and falling school standards. Reform UK Wales accused Plaid of revealing its "true colours" by consorting with separatists. The UK government responded carefully, reaffirming Burnham's belief in the union.
The devolved leaders are scheduled to meet Burnham the following month — a conversation that may reveal how much constitutional flexibility his earlier words actually contained, and whether Monday's historic alignment in Cardiff was the beginning of something lasting or simply a moment of shared ambition.
Three nationalist leaders are gathering in Cardiff on Monday morning for a meeting that would have been unthinkable a generation ago. Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru, John Swinney of the Scottish National Party, and Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin will sit down to discuss how their governments might work more closely together—a historic alignment of political will across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. For the first time since devolution began in the late 1990s, all three devolved nations are led by first ministers who openly want their countries to leave the United Kingdom.
Ap Iorwerth, who took office in May after Plaid Cymru's victory in Welsh elections, will host the gathering. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald will also attend. In the afternoon, ap Iorwerth and Swinney are expected to sign an agreement committing to practical collaboration on shared priorities: energy policy, economic development, and engagement with Europe. But the real substance of the meeting extends beyond logistics. The three leaders plan to discuss what a Plaid spokesperson called "the wider political and constitutional questions facing our nations and on the right to self-determination."
The timing is significant. Just days before this meeting, Prime Minister Andy Burnham appeared to open a door that had seemed firmly shut. During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, he suggested that a second Scottish independence referendum could be held if public opinion shifted decisively in its favor. He drew a parallel to Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement, which stipulates that a border poll can be held when there is clear consensus for one. "I would say that it is exactly the same situation in Scotland," Burnham said. He later walked back the comment, insisting another Scottish referendum remained "off limits," but the moment had already registered. Swinney seized on it, declaring there was "undeniable" momentum behind constitutional change. "Every nation across these islands is standing at a moment of incredible constitutional opportunity," he said, arguing that Westminster no longer served ordinary people.
The political landscape has shifted in ways that seemed distant just months ago. Ap Iorwerth has not committed to holding a Welsh independence referendum during his first term—he prefers to frame it as a "national conversation"—but his government is establishing a commission to "lay the foundations" for future independence planning. In the meantime, Welsh ministers are pressing Burnham for additional devolved powers, including control over policing and youth justice. Burnham has indicated openness to the idea. The three nations also plan to discuss funding, a perennial source of tension. Welsh ministers have long argued that the Barnett formula, which determines how UK government money is distributed to the devolved nations, disadvantages Wales. Scotland, by contrast, has historically benefited from the formula's calculations.
Not everyone welcomes this alignment. Emma Little-Pengelly, the Democratic Unionist Party's deputy first minister in Northern Ireland, criticized O'Neill for attending the meeting. Opposition voices in Wales were sharper. Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said ap Iorwerth should focus on the crisis in the Welsh NHS and declining school standards rather than independence. Reform UK Wales accused Plaid Cymru of revealing its "true colours" by meeting with what it called "separatists." The UK government's response was measured: a spokesperson said Burnham remained "committed to delivering change across all four nations" and believed "strongly in the union."
What happens next will depend partly on how the public responds to this new political configuration. The 2014 Scottish independence referendum saw Scotland vote 55 to 45 to remain in the UK—a decisive result, but one that left a substantial independence movement intact. Whether Monday's meeting in Cardiff signals the beginning of a sustained push for constitutional change, or merely a moment of aligned ambition among three leaders, remains to be seen. The devolved leaders are scheduled to meet with Burnham next month, a conversation that may test how far his apparent flexibility on constitutional questions actually extends.
Citations marquantes
There is a growing consensus that the Westminster system simply is not fit for purpose and does not work for ordinary people.— John Swinney, SNP leader
Instead of obsessing about independence, the first minister should be focused on dealing with the crisis engulfing the Welsh NHS and the declining standards in Welsh schools.— Darren Millar, Welsh Conservatives leader
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Politics & Governance