‘It’s none of your business!’ SNP MP ROASTED for jumping in on Catalonia referendum
SCOTTISH Nationalist Party MPs were attacked for their decision to fly to Catalonia ahead of Sunday's independence vote.
Presenter accuses SNP of sticking their nose in over Catalonia
Several prominent SNP politicians made the trip to Spain as well as a contingent of the party's youth members.
Senior SNP figure Tricia Marwick addressed a pro-independence rally and former party leader Alex Salmond appeared on Catalan TV.
The MPs and MSPs said they were there as part of a 17-country delegation tasked with observing the vote went as smoothly and democratically as possible.
But ahead of the vote, the SNP faced questions as to why they were "sticking their noses in" to what was a Spanish issue.
Catalan students took part in a silent march through the streets of Barcelona yesterday
In a Channel 4 interview before Sunday's independence vote, presenter Cathy Newman asked SNP MP Douglas Chapman was asked why he and other Scots felt the need to get involved.
He responded by saying he was there with representatives from 16 other countries to ensure there was no "undue intimidation" at any of the polling stations.
He said: "If we have a vote tomorrow that is more than 50 per cent of the popular vote in favour of independence, and the turnout is a reasonable number, then you would hope that the international community would start to recognise what has happened here as an expression of the democratic will of the people of Catalonia."
Douglas Chapman was grilled on Channel 4 News
But he refused to rule out a second Scottish independence referendum when quizzed wether his party was tempted to "do what the Catalans have done" and hold a vote without the backing of the UK government.
"That's up to the Scottish government," he said, before adding the "preferred route" would be one of dialogue and co-operation with Westminster, as had happened in 2014.
The Scots have long-standing ties to the region and have were highly supportive of the referendum, which Madrid condemned as illegal.
Madrid's decision to deploy national police to Catalonia has received heavy criticism
Nearly 900 people were injured on Sunday as voters and protestors clashed with national police, who have received widespread condemnation for their heavy-handed tactics.
Despite the violence, Catalan officials said more than 2.2 million cast their vote - with 90 per cent of them backing independence.
Following the ballot, the region's leadership announced it would seek to form an independent state.
Scottish people voted 55 per cent to 45 per cent to remain part of the UK in the 2014 independence referendum.
Catalonia in northeastern Spain has a population of around 7.5million