Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland redouble the pressure for independence: "Westminster's time is running out"

BarcelonaThe leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have staged a common front in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, to intensify pressure on London for independence. "Westminster's time is running out," says a joint statement signed by the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, of the Scottish National Party (SNP); the First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, of Plaid Cymru, and the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill, of Sinn Féin.

For the first time in all three territories there are governments that advocate for independence, and they have wanted to assert this strength with an alliance that has asked the British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to "prepare, plan and facilitate the constitutional changes for each of the jurisdictions".

The three leaders, who attended the meeting representing their respective parties and not the governments, have reaffirmed their commitment to work for independence in their territories and have warned Westminster that it has no "right to block democracy or to undermine the principle that the population should decide its own future". The document warns that "constitutional change is near" and, therefore, they are asking the British government to activate the machinery.

Among the priorities of the new Labour Prime Minister is decentralization, although he has referred especially to England to give more powers and funding to the cities, but the proposal is still uncertain regarding the rest of the territories. However, the Welsh First Minister has already warned that it is necessary to go "further".

After Brexit, which they note has "harmed their economies and limited the population's opportunities", the three parties also argue that the future of the three territories must involve a return to the European Union (EU). In the 2016 referendum, Scotland and Northern Ireland supported staying in the EU, while Wales voted, together with England, in favor of leaving the community club.

Trump's support for the reunification of Ireland

Without setting dates, the leaders of the three territories aspire to hold referendums on their independence and the reunification of Ireland. Regarding Ireland, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, stirred up controversy this weekend with the United Kingdom, due to statements in which he pointed out that the union of the island would be "a fantastic thing." During a meeting with the Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, in Dublin, Trump said that reunification will happen sooner or later and that Martin is "the right man to set it in motion." "Obviously the United Kingdom would have something to say about it, but I think it will be positive. I mean, how can it be bad?" he added.

Regarding Trump's words, the president of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, has said that she is not surprised because "the United States has been, for years, an ally of Ireland in building peace on the island." "For decades, the United States has been consistent in the pursuit of Irish freedom," she insisted.