Westminster’s Time is Coming to an End, Say Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish Leaders
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By David Deans, Wales political reporter, and Cemlyn Davies, Wales political correspondent
Published 13 September 2026
Updated 6 minutes ago
The first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have declared that "Westminster’s time is coming to an end", and called on the UK government to prepare for constitutional change.
The nationalist leaders from Plaid Cymru, Sinn Féin and the SNP—who all advocate for their nations leaving the United Kingdom—signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday stating that no Westminster government has the right to "block democracy".
While Scotland’s John Swinney and Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill advocated for referendums, Wales’ Rhun ap Iorwerth declined to set a timetable for one in his country.
Ap Iorwerth will continue discussions with Swinney later in the day, with both expected to sign an agreement on "future collaboration".
For the first time since devolution, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have first ministers who seek to leave the UK. The leaders met as representatives of their parties and issued a joint statement:
"For people watching across these islands—for people watching around the world—there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end. No Westminster government has the right to block democracy or undermine the principle that our people will decide their own future."
A Plaid spokesperson highlighted the "changing political landscape" and the need for "practical political co-operation" on issues like energy, the economy, and Europe. They also noted the discussion on "the wider political and constitutional questions facing our nations".
Ap Iorwerth described May’s Welsh election as "a turning point for Wales", stating that there is a growing recognition that the Westminster model "is no longer working".
Previously, Plaid had ruled out an independence referendum before the next Senedd election in 2030.
