First Minister of Scotland
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Search complete. 18 mentions across 15 episodes found for "First Minister of Scotland".
Sep 17, 2026
RoryHOST
Yeah.
RoryHOST
But the other thing that makes it awkward for Andy Burnham is this recent memorandum signed by the First Ministers of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, effectively just reiterating the fact they want to leave the UK and pushing self-determination in each of those places.
RoryHOST
But one thing that Micheál Martin has said, interestingly, is that he thinks that Sinn Féin joining up with the SNP and Plaid Cymru to try and push their mutual sort of separation is actually a bad thing for the cause of Irish unification because it, you know, Irish unification is sort of its own separate thing.
Jack KellyHOST
Yeah.
Ndukwe OnuohaHOST
But if you're in our community, it is none of those things.
Ndukwe OnuohaHOST
Because on Monday, 14th September, the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland met in Cardiff and signed a joint memorandum declaring that Westminster's time is coming to an end and that their futures lie with Europe.
Ndukwe OnuohaHOST
And in fact, declare that no government in London has a right to block their path to self-determination.
Ndukwe OnuohaHOST
The things that the three leaders that represent these nations have never at the same time all been pro-independent parties.
Fran KellyHOST
You're listening to Radio National Hour.
Fran KellyHOST
My guest is Nicola McEwan from the Centre of Public Policy at the University of Glasgow, talking about the memorandum that was signed this week by the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Fran KellyHOST
That memorandum, Nicola, is fairly broad, if not pretty short on specifics.
Fran KellyHOST
What does it actually outline for the three countries?
Mark CarruthersHOST
We've also got meeting between Andy Burnham and Micheál Martin in Manchester on Friday, and that'll be fascinating to see what comes out of that, as we've already said.
Mark CarruthersHOST
Um, but then we also should not forget about Monday's meeting in Cardiff, widely reported as the first meeting of the three nationalist independence-seeking first ministers of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Mark CarruthersHOST
Now, they weren't there officially taking part in that meeting in their capacities as first ministers, but it is still the case that those are the roles that they hold.
Mark CarruthersHOST
How, how significance do you see that, um, looking back on it?
Mark CarruthersHOST
Diarmaid, just, just a final one for you on that meeting in Cardiff.
Mark CarruthersHOST
Interesting to hear what, um, David and Ben have to say about that.
Mark CarruthersHOST
But when you saw the optics of the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales there with, um, the two senior representatives from Sinn Féin, Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald, what did you make of it? Significant or not, in real terms?
Diarmaid FerriterGUEST
Well, well, I mean, in, in, in symbolic terms, it was quite striking.
James BoltHOST
Absolutely.
James BoltHOST
I want to talk about independence on a slightly grander scale because the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have met to discuss independence and have declared Westminster's time is up.
James BoltHOST
So this is an interesting one.
James BoltHOST
Scotland's independence has always been a big issue.
James O'BrienHOST
And I don't like being that bloke.
James O'BrienHOST
It really came into sharp focus yesterday when the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland signed a pact insisting on a right to independence.
James O'BrienHOST
They told Andy Burnham he can't stop us from breaking up the UK.
James O'BrienHOST
That's how The Daily Telegraph writes it.
Helena MTGHOST
Westminster's time as the centre of power in Great Britain is coming to an end.
Helena MTGHOST
That's according to the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and the North of Ireland, who for the very first time are also the leaders of the three nation separatist parties.
Helena MTGHOST
Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth, the SNP's John Swinney and Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill met in Cardiff on Monday to sign a cooperation agreement to work together towards independence from England.
Helena MTGHOST
The memorandum of understanding signed by the three leaders said this.
Carol KerrPANELIST
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
Carol KerrPANELIST
Uh, yesterday, First Ministers across these islands met in Cardiff to sign a memorandum of understanding that our nations should have the right to decide our own constitutional future.
Carol KerrPANELIST
Last week, the UK Prime Minister also agreed the principle that Scotland should have a referendum when it is likely that people would vote for independence.
Carol KerrPANELIST
Given that, what is the next step in the First Minister's plan to build upon the Cardiff Agreement? [applause]
John SwinneyPANELIST
First Minister.
John SwinneyPANELIST
Presiding Officer, it was a welcome opportunity yesterday for me to meet with the First Ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland on the important question that Mr. Kerr raises, that the people of this country should be free to decide their own constitutional future.
John SwinneyPANELIST
And I welcome the comments that were made by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons last Wednesday when he recognized the centrality of that principle.
John SwinneyPANELIST
It is a fundamental point of self-determination, and I was glad to have the opportunity to reinforce that point yesterday.
JJSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Because some of it's completely real and some of it's doing a lot of heavy lifting.
JJSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Monday in Cardiff, the actual First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are meeting.
JJSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Not opposition figures, the people who literally run those governments.
JJSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
And it's the first time ever that all three have been led by a party whose whole point is ending the union.
Lesley RiddochHOST
The other thing I was looking at was just how foreign, what foreign coverage has been like.
Lesley RiddochHOST
And the actual Washington Post headline, like that's not the makey-uppy one, was the first ministers of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland calling on the British government to prepare for, plan and facilitate their independence.
Lesley RiddochHOST
Days after President Trump expressed his support for Irish reunification.
Lesley RiddochHOST
So there's Bezos as kind of whoever's in charge of the Washington Post these days trying to make it look like Trump's created all the running.
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