John Swinney: Andy Burnham will be the last prime minister of the United Kingdom

Andy Burnham will be “the last prime minister of the United Kingdom”, John Swinney has declared.

The first minister made the comment after signing a memorandum of understanding between the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Fein which declares that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end”.

The agreement states that “each of our nations has the right to determine its own future, through democratic means and in accordance with the wishes of its people” and commits the parties to stronger cooperation on their economies, energy and the constitution.

While the SNP and Plaid Cymru support independence for Scotland and Wales, Sinn Fein advocates for a united Ireland.

The parties now say the UK Government should “prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change in each jurisdiction”.

The development comes days after Burnham was forced to clarify comments he made during Prime Minister’s Questions, in which he compared the Scottish situation with that of Northern Ireland, where the right to a border poll is enshrined within the Good Friday Agreement.

In a subsequent letter to Swinney, he said he was “simply highlighting that there is no consensus for an independence referendum in Scotland”.

Now the UK Government has said that “the prime minister is committed to delivering change across all four nations of the United Kingdom and believes strongly in the union”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “The United Kingdom is at its best when people come together around our shared values and problem-solving, rather than division, and the prime minister will continue to ease pressures on household finances, and delivering greater economic security, rather than engaging in constitutional debates or further referendums.”

Speaking in Cardiff, Swinney said that the “hallmark” of Burnham’s politics is that “issues are best resolved as close to the people as they possibly can be”.

The SNP leader said: “If you follow the logic of all of that, it leads you to the logic of recognising the right of the people of Scotland, in my case, to decide their own future, and the prime minister, in what he said to the House of Commons on Wednesday, essentially simply set out that point of view.

“It wasn't, in terms of his political outlook, particularly a revelation, it is what he has represented on countless occasions in his political history.

“The difference now, of course, is that he's the prime minister of the United Kingdom and if there is to be consistency in his thinking, the point that he made to the House of Commons on Wednesday is, for me, the absolutely crucial point, which is why I think he will be the last prime minister of the United Kingdom, because the people of Scotland, if given the choice of independence in a referendum, will take that choice, because all of the information that we see in front of us about the trends in opinion polling indicate that's the preference of the people.”

The talks marked the first meeting of the pro-independence leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, who include Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru and Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Fein. That party’s president, Irish politician Mary Lou McDonald, also took part.

Swinney said that “the projects of national self-government are about bringing people together in unity” at a time when “all of us are wrestling with some of the pernicious forces that are designed to sow division within our society”.

McDonald said: “We have the right to decide our future and we will not accept or tolerate any British prime minister telling us that that right is off the table. On the contrary, the issues around self-determination for the Celtic nations, for all of us, is very much on the table.”

She went on: “For the young people of Scotland, the young people of Wales, and for young Irish people who can almost taste that moment, who can almost touch that moment of freedom and self-determination, this is such an exciting time, and we want you to know, as political leaders, we will not let you down. We know that for you, above all others, this really, really matters. It matters that we get it right, and we are determined that we will.

“And that is essentially why we sit here today, all of us collectively, at this moment of history. When the history books are written, I feel sure that this moment here in Cardiff will be remembered as one of those moments on our collective journey.”