As the saying goes, there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen. Today’s Celtic Summit has the potential to drive us through the latter and into what, for now, remains the unknown.
Plaid Cymru’s historic victory in the Welsh Senedd elections back in May has, for the first time, left the United Kingdom with Separatist parties governing simultaneously in three quarters of it.
This afternoon, leaders of all three of these separatist parties met in Cardiff seeking to strengthen bonds between each of their respective states and, perhaps more significantly, declare their intention to put the foot on the gas when it comes to self-determination, via a memorandum of understanding declaring that ‘Westminster’s time is coming to an end’.
The Prime Minister, although eager to devolve and spread power away from London, is not so keen on relinquishing the Union’s colonial control over its component nations.
After telling the Commons that a ‘clear consensus’ could pave the way for a second Scottish independence referendum, Burnham later backtracked, writing to SNP leader John Swinney that such a thing is in fact “off limits”. Burnham also declared in August that an Irish border poll was “off the table”, although he later softened this stance, referring to the Good Friday Agreement and his intention to respect its stipulations.
Now it appears that the leading Separatists have had enough of asking permission and are instead taking advantage of their rising popularity within the Union to which they are so hostile. Rather than continuing the tried-and-tested method of attempting to remove themselves from the Union individually, they have instead thrown their weight behind collaboration in tearing the thing down from the inside.
There are of course challenges ahead. Although signing in agreement today, all three parties exist within differing political contexts in regards to independence; Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has ruled out a Welsh independence referendum during this parliament, instead opting for an attempt to secure more devolved powers from London, Scottish independence campaigners have been fighting with one hand behind their back since their defeat in the 2014 referendum, and Sinn Féin must share power in the north with a party that will do everything they can to ensure the Celtic Summit remains as no more than a photo-op as well as being an opposition party in the twenty six counties the north would be re-joining in the prospective new Ireland.
Regardless, however, this is a big move for the Republican cause. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, who also attended the summit, wrote in today’s The Irish News of the importance in preparation for a reunified Ireland, and encouraged dialogue on the matter. “Concerns must be heard, respected and addressed,” she said, “Preparation is not something to fear. It is responsible politics.” Which, one would hope, will be welcomed by all branches of Republicanism in Ireland.
It is early days yet, but for the first time in my lifetime it seems that the reunification of Ireland may be becoming more than a mere prospect dangling on a stick to distract us from blowing the place up.
In the past summer alone, following a Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann that solidified the dominance of Irish culture north of the border, both the British Prime Minister and the President of the United States have commented on a border poll, each time causing a sizable stir in Irish and English political discourse.
And now we have a statement from within the union calling on “the British Government to prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change in each jurisdiction”- it is therefore very hard indeed not to get excited about what could lie ahead.
