Financial Secretary Maggie Gilruth stated that Scotland has already met the trigger for another independence referendum, citing the majority of pro-independence MSPs elected to the Scottish Parliament as evidence. She made these comments during a meeting with Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin leaders in Cardiff where they agreed to push for referendums on leaving the UK. Gilruth argued that if the union is voluntary, there should be democratic means to leave it, emphasizing that current political conditions show significant support for independence across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 14, 2026, the leaders of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—John Swinney (SNP), Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru), and Michelle O’Neill (Sinn Féin)—met in Cardiff to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at pushing for independence referendums. The meeting, held under their capacities as party leaders rather than governmental officials, emphasized the right to self-determination against Westminster’s opposition. Despite Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s earlier ambiguous statement about a possible referendum in Scotland if there is "a clear consensus," Downing Street reaffirmed that another vote was off-limits. Finance Secretary Kate Gilruth argued that the requirement for a new referendum has been met, citing the recent election results where independence-supporting MSPs won 73 seats, marking the largest majority in history, as evidence of widespread support for self-governance.
Written for “UK Self Determination Movements” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.45, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 8847: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-14
She made the comments as John Swinney seeks agreement with Westminster on a legal mechanism to hold another vote.
asserted
Swinney → make → vote
The First Minister met with the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin in Cardiff on Monday to sign an agreement to push for referendums on leaving the UK.
Ms Gilruth said the meeting was a “hugely significant political moment”.
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meeting → meet → UK
Appearing on the BBC’s Radio Scotland Breakfast, she was asked what the trigger for another referendum should be.
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trigger → appear → referendum
The Finance Secretary said she would not “set an arbitrary number”.
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she → say → number
Pressed again, she said: “Well, I think, actually, fundamentally the trigger mechanism should be to respect the right of the Scottish people and we only need to look at the last election result to say that we’ve met that requirement.
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we → press → requirement
“We have a majority of independence-supporting MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, 73, the largest in the country’s history.
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We → have → history
“I think that requires to be recognised.
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that → think → ?
Something fundamentally is stuck, is broken, and is not working for the people of Scotland.
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Something → break → Scotland
“The union isn’t delivering as it should do and that’s exactly why you see not only pro-independence MSPs elected in Scotland, but in Northern Ireland and in Wales additionally.
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MSPs → deliver → Wales
It is broken.”
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It → break → ?
Ms Gilruth said if the UK was a “voluntary union then there should be a democratic means by which we can leave”.
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we → say → which
It comes after Mr Burnham told the Commons that another vote in Scotland could be held if there was a “clear consensus” north of the border for it.
uncertain
vote → come → it
However, the Prime Minister said in a letter to Mr Swinney that a referendum remained “off limits”.
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referendum → say → limits
Ms Gilruth said the Prime Minister’s statement amounted to “significant” movement, despite his later remarks saying the constitution was off-limits.
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constitution → say → limits
“Andy Burnham, we do not believe, is an ardent unionist at heart,” she said.
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she → believe → heart
“This is a pro-devolution Prime Minister who said only four years ago, ‘it’s clear the constitutional question is not settled’ in terms of a referendum.
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question → say → referendum
‘I’m not going to say no, not ever’.
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I → go → ?
“So, I actually think Mr Burnham was probably saying exactly what he meant.”
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he → think → what
Mr Burnham had said in a 2022 interview: “Looking from the outside, it’s clear the constitutional question is not settled.
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question → say → outside
“In terms of a referendum, I’m not going to say, ‘No, not ever’, I’m not going to use that language.
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I → go → language
“But I do think there are more important things now – people’s living standards and incomes, the NHS – and I would personally hate to see a border between England and Scotland.
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I → think → England
“If there has to be another referendum, my party needs to come up with a much better alternative to the one that was put forward last time.”
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that → have → one
A spokesperson for the UK Government said: “The Prime Minister is committed to delivering change across all four nations of the United Kingdom and believes strongly in the Union.
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Minister → say → Union
“The United Kingdom is at its best when people come together around our shared values and problem-solving rather than division.
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people → come → values
“The 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.
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that → focus → debates
“The Prime Minister’s approach to working with the First and deputy First Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is based on partnership and collaboration, focused on delivering growth and good jobs for people across all parts of our country.”
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approach → work → country
