Devolved First Ministers to sign independence declaration

First Ministers Michelle O’Neill, Rhun ap Iorwerth and John Swinney (Claudia Savage/Jonathan Brady/Jane Barlow/PA) Craig Paton 1 minute ago The First Ministers of the UK’s devolved nations will sign a landmark agreement on Monday aimed at putting pressure on 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, where they are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding pushing for referendums in their respective countries, the Press Association understands.

The trio will meet in their capacity as party leaders, rather than as officials in 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”.

Michelle O’Neill will attend the meeting in Cardiff (Oliver McVeigh/PA) PA Wire Successive UK governments have been consistently against the holding of referendums on separation since the 2014 vote in Scotland and hopes earlier this week of a softening position were dashed by Downing Street.

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.

However, Ms Little-Pengelly, the joint head of the Stormont powersharing Executive accused Ms O’Neill of attempting to “weaponise the role of First Minister”.

In a social media post she said: “Let me be absolutely clear. Michelle O’Neill is not travelling to this “summit” as First Minister, she has no authority to present herself as representing the FM role at any such “summit” and nor does she have any authority to sign anything as First Minister of Northern Ireland at any such “summit”.

“She has not sought any agreement or permission from me to travel, attend or sign anything as First Minister.

“She would have needed to do so to do anything as FM. The formal roles we hold are entirely joint roles.”