Catalonia

David Drew Excerpts
Thursday 2nd November 2017

(7 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
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The House will be grateful to my right hon. Friend for the benefit of her wisdom. Indeed, yes—if that is what the code of conduct says and it is clear, then countries should do things within the rule of law. In the case of the Catalonian referendum and the subsequent declaration, both were not.

David Drew Portrait Dr David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op)
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Like the Bourbon kings, the Spanish authorities have

“learned nothing and forgotten nothing.”

Would it not be good, as a friend of Spain, if we, with the EU, were to suggest that the country holds a legally binding referendum on the future of Catalonia so that then everyone could be satisfied?

Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
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The Spanish are entitled to do whatever they choose to do within the workings of their constitution, but it is not for us to tell them exactly how to go about it—it is for them to work it out themselves as a functioning democracy.