Alex Salmond

Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has congratulated his fellow nationalists Plaid Cymru on entering government in Wales.

The Scottish National Party leader was speaking on Sunday after a weekend which saw both Plaid and Labour secure support from their grassroots for a governing coalition in the national assembly.

The move means that nationalists are now in power in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The SNP has a minority administration in Edinburgh with support from the Greens, while Plaid are the junior partner in Cardiff and Sinn Fein and the SDLP are both part of the power-sharing executive in Belfast.

And Salmond said devolution had helped change the "political landscape" of the UK during elections this year, with the devolved administrations set to work together in negotiations with Westminster.

He also said Labour must learn from Wales and move to co-operate more at Holyrood.

"I warmly congratulate Plaid Cymru on becoming a party of government, and striking an agreement which enables the people of Wales to move forward," he said.

"Plaid's success underlines the utterly changed political landscape of these islands. As a result of the positive events of the last few weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are now seven political parties in government in the UK.

"This diversity is to be welcomed, and also reinforces the case for there to be formal mechanisms for dialogue across the different administrations.

"Welsh Labour's agreement to campaign for a 'Yes' vote in a referendum does indicate an ability to draw lessons from the election result and move on – something that the Labour Party in Scotland have shown a singular inability to do."