[youngian]

Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy makes Theresa May look like a tactical genius. Catalonia's government have already said the referendum will be void if the turnout is low. And what's May going to do about it if Holyrood holds Indyref2 without her permission?

[mr angry manchester]

Send riot squads in to batter people with big sticks. The Tory party have previous form for this, Orgreave anyone?

[Bones McCoy]

At least in Scotland the beatings followed the vote.

[mr angry manchester]

I know absolutely fuck all about Catalonia, but the issue is that the Spanish Government have dealt with this appallingly.

[Big Arnold]

Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy makes Theresa May look like a tactical genius. Catalonia's government have already said the referendum will be void if the turnout is low. And what's May going to do about it if Holyrood holds Indyref2 without her permission?

The Spanish government may have issued a get out of jail free card, by having the police closing polling stations. It was responsible for the low turnout.

[youngian]

If the referendum wasn't legal then why close down a voluntary opinion poll? Its only true believers who turn up.

[Kreuzberger]

If the referendum wasn't legal then why close down a voluntary opinion poll? Its only true believers who turn up.

^ this, a thousand-fold. We now have Carles Puigdemont claiming that his government will "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next" in declaring independence and the EU saying, in effect, that this is beyond the pale.

Add to that, King Felipe has weighed in - kings and Catalans never make good bedfellows - while the indiscriminately beaten voters' bleeding has barely been staunched.

Puigdemont, in my view, is grandstanding for personal kudos while brushing aside any semblance of political process. He is, de facto, giving renewed legitimacy to the Basque / Euskaldunak cause. That is another powder keg which is waiting to blow.

The EU, again in my view, needs to fucking jump on this pronto. Self-determination is a generally accepted right but this is no way to form nation states, not in the 17th century and certainly not now, and the Union cannot entertain regions going rogue just because people start banging pots and pans. Puigdemont is a reckless demagogue. Where have we heard that before?

[youngian]

Europe fears the consequences of separatism for obvious reasons but paradoxically the EU is the most successful midwife in history to nurture nascent nation-states. Brussels has to respect the rules about interfering in sovereign affairs but a few caveats to tick off Spain's behaviour from member state leaders wouldn't go amiss.

And please let's have a ban on Brexiters commenting on Catalonian separatism the cluelessness, as usual, is just embarrassing. And Paul Mason who is over in Barcelona getting over-excited and Tweeting ludicrous conspiracy theories.

[Killer Whale]

And please let's have a ban on Brexiters commenting on Catalonian separatism

I've seen several examples of Schroedinger's EU - simultaneously grabbing sovereignty and being unable to intervene in the affairs of Spain.

[bluebellnutter]

This is basically the flip-side of the Scotland thing. That was well-organised, democratically legitimate and properly overseen (aside from a few of the headbangers on both sides who tried to do it this way).

I don't see this ending well. If things go badly could this be a Spanish Northern Ireland (minus the religious sectarianism)?

[The Weeping Angel]

And please let's have a ban on Brexiters commenting on Catalonian separatism the cluelessness, as usual, is just embarrassing. And Paul Mason who is over in Barcelona getting over-excited and Tweeting ludicrous conspiracy theories.

Practically getting a hard on at the prospect of a second Spanish Civil War.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I see the main Catalan nationalists are in ALDE. I wondered if the Lib Dems would make sympathetic noises.

Their one MEP, Catherine Bearder, is, one might put it, "fully focussed on the issue of Brexit".