9 hours ago
(This post was last modified: 9 hours ago by C C.)
Scottish leader says Burnham is 'facing idea he could be final UK PM' ahead of groundbreaking summit
https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/13/scottish-...-29598587/
EXCERPTS: 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.
[...] 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.’ (MORE - missing details)
https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/13/scottish-...-29598587/
EXCERPTS: 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.
[...] 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.’ (MORE - missing details)
