Catalonia

Catherine West Excerpts
Thursday 2nd November 2017

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
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Because of the constitutions and the rule of law within which they work.

Catherine West Portrait Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab)
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My constituents have sent me a number of emails about this, and I was visited in my constituency surgery by a Catalonian/Spanish constituent. Does the Minister agree that the policing style of the original poll was heavy-handed, and that the only way forward is through peaceful dialogue towards a resolution?

Alan Duncan Portrait Sir Alan Duncan
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I am reluctant to speculate, but one interpretation that has been put on the violence is that the Catalonian police declined to take orders from central Government. I do not know whether that is true, and it is not for me to pass judgment on it. It is clear, however, that this was an illegal referendum that is therefore invalid and against the rule of law, so it counts for nothing.