A report from the Mexican newspaper La Jornada highlights renewed calls from political voices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who say their nations have the right to determine their own political future, including the option of independence from the United Kingdom.
According to the report, these regional leaders argue that if they were to become independent states, they should also have the right to apply for membership in the European Union, reversing the departure that the UK as a whole completed after the 2016 Brexit referendum. Scotland and Northern Ireland, in particular, voted to remain in the EU at the time, while Wales voted to leave alongside England.
The framing described in the piece suggests a broader argument that the political union binding England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland together is unraveling, with devolved governments increasingly asserting their own sovereignty on the world stage. Questions of self-determination have simmered for years in the UK, fueled by disagreements over Brexit, funding, and cultural identity, and Scotland has previously held an independence referendum, in 2014, that failed to pass.
For readers unfamiliar with UK politics, it’s worth noting that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own devolved parliaments or assemblies with limited powers, separate from the UK Parliament in London, which retains authority over matters like foreign policy and, notably, whether another independence vote can be held.
To read the full original report in Spanish, visit La Jornada’s website.
Source: Escocia, Gales e Irlanda del Norte afirman su derecho a la independencia y unirse a la UE: Reino Unido "está llegando a su fin" (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Gikü.