Editorial: Catalans and Cameron

WHILE Prime Minister David Cameron´s future may hang in the balance next week if Scotland votes yes to independence in Catalonia,  he will always be a hero. Catalonia, the province where there is a strong movement to break away from Spain, has not been allowed  a referendum by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. In fact Rajoy has said “No” to any attempts by the Catalan government to have a say on self rule.  Now, some commentators in England and possibly Scotland, after looking at the latest opinions polls, will be saying that the Prime Minister should have followed Rajoy´s example. But the Catalans say that what is happening in Scotland is a true sign of democracy at work.  If Scotland does vote “Yes” then I suspect that the Spanish government´s policy on Catalonia will harden even further and there will be no question of a referendum from Madrid. But I suspect that his admiration in some parts of Catalonia will do little to raise the morale of David Cameron who will probably quit as Prime Minister next week if there is a Yes vote. I sincerely don´t believe that he should go, though. I think he had little option but to allow the referendum to go ahead. The person, who perhaps should be looking at his future, is Labour leader Ed Miliband. Labour has 41 Members of Parliament in Scotland but these MPs have failed to impress voters with their unionist party line. Miliband faces a big battle.