CALGARY — The leaders of three nationalist parties in the UK constituent countries of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have released a joint statement about the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding their desire to attain independence.Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorweth, and the Sinn Féin First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill have all signed an MOU declaring their eventual intention to seek independence from the United Kingdom.The three leaders stated that they believe their countries' future lies not with Westminster but with Brussels, with the leaders expressing the UK's lack of EU membership as a core reason for their desire for independence."Today, Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National Party, and Sinn Féin are coming together to reaffirm our commitment to working constructively with one another in the shared interests of our people," the statement reads."We believe the future of our nations belong in the European Union. We want to work together to rebuild and strengthen those European relationships, creating greater opportunities for trade, investment, culture and cooperation.".The announcement from the MOU garnered reactions from across the United Kingdom, including from the prime minister, Andy Burnham, who released a statement from the government regarding the MOU."The UK government is focused on addressing the issues that matter most to families, including easing pressures on household finances and delivering greater economic security, rather than engaging in constitutional debates or further referendums."Many online commentators called the signing a "stunt" and a "nothing-burger," citing the fact that three pro-independence parties signing a declaration supporting independence amounts to nothing.Statistics regarding independence show that despite the bullish stance from the three leaders, support for independence in the three predominantly Celtic countries has remained relatively stable despite the posturing.Scotland consistently polls the highest in support for independence, with recent polls showing support sitting somewhere between 45% and 50% of Scots support independence.This number falls significantly when looking at Northern Ireland and Wales, with support for Northern Irish independence currently around 36% and Welsh independence polling even lower at around 32%.The last time a referendum was held in either of the three countries was in 2014, when Scots voted 55% to 45% to remain in the United Kingdom.
