Editorial: Cardiff gathering was an empty stunt by the UK's nationalist parties

For all the noise around a meeting of the United Kingdom’s nationalist leaders in Cardiff yesterday, even less of substance emerged from it than we might have expected.

​The leaders of the country’s three devolved governments gathered to warn that Westminster rule was in its last days, and that they were the future.

You might imagine they would have some major trick up their sleeve for an event they had billed themselves as “historic”. Not a bit of it.

Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill were there alongside John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth to sign a pledge in which they pledged to keep doing what they’ve been doing since their formation – complaining about the UK and demanding independence.

Nationalist parties agreeing with each other on the principle of self determination for their respective territories is hardly newsworthy. However, they also rejected Whitehall’s approach to the economy and saying they would do it differently and better – without saying how.

On the issue of the day – energy and the cost of fuel – they agreed only that the “energy wealth of our nations should serve the needs of our people”. Something like all of us benefitting from North Sea oil through an economic and political union, perhaps? They didn’t elaborate.

A formal deal was also struck between Edinburgh and Cardiff on a “new era” of cooperation. It was every bit as vague and waffly as the three-party pledge they signed with Sinn Fein. Worryingly perhaps for the Welsh, some “best practice” from the SNP government is on its way south.

Northern Ireland is of course not part of any of this. Sinn Fein’s attendance was nothing more than a PR stunt as the joint first minister can’t act without her DUP co-equal’s approval. Ms O’Neill should focus on the day job in Belfast.