The UK will not recognise the Catalan
parliament’s decision to declare independence
from Spain, Downing Street says.
Theresa May’s official spokesman said the
declaration was based on a vote that had been
declared illegal.
He added that the UK wanted to see the unity of
Spain preserved.
The Catalan regional parliament has voted to declare
independence from Spain, while the Spanish
parliament has approved direct rule over the region.
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The UK prime minister’s spokesman said in a
statement: “The UK does not and will not recognise
the unilateral declaration of independence made by
the Catalan regional parliament.”
“It is based on a vote that was declared illegal by
the Spanish courts. We continue to want to see the
rule of law upheld, the Spanish constitution
respected, and Spanish unity preserved.”
Catalan MPs backed the independence motion 70-10
in a ballot boycotted by the opposition.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had told
senators direct rule was needed to return “law,
democracy and stability” to Catalonia.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson earlier offered
his support to the Spanish PM.
After a meeting with Portugal’s foreign minister in
Lisbon, he said: “We don’t think, as far as we
understand the matter, that the referendum on
independence was well-founded in law.
“Therefore we remain very clear in our view that we
should uphold the constitutional integrity and
sovereignty of our Spanish friends and that’s really
our commitment and our pledge.”
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