NEWLANDS HITS OUT AT UK GOVERNMENT OVER FAILURE TO CHALLENGE CATALAN ‘SHOW TRIAL'

SNP MP CALLS FOR DEBATE ON CATALAN POLITICAL PRISONERS

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Gavin Newlands, SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North and member of the APPG for Catalonia, has called for a Parliamentary debate during a question to the Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom.

The MP has labelled the case against the 18 Catalan political prisoners, including the former Speaker of the Catalan Parliament Carme Forcadell, as a ‘show trial’ perpetrated by the Spanish state and a violation of international democratic norms.

Newlands is calling for a debate on the importance of an independent judiciary and the democratic principle of self-determination as pillars of the international democratic order. The MP hopes that th

e debate will encourage the UK Government to speak out against violations of these norms closer to home- including in the Spanish state.

Newlands commented:

“It is beyond time that the UK Government spoke out against the outrageous violations against international democratic and judicial norms that have been perpetrated by the Spanish state against the Catalan political prisoners.

“I hope that a Parliamentary debate on this issue will help it gain even more international attention and that it will put pressure on the UK Government to act.

“The UK and Spain have deep links and both country’s governments at least claim to be champions of the independent judiciary and democracy- two things that are vital for the success of any 21st century society.

“The UK Government can no longer ignore such blatant violations of these principles so close to home."