British MPs visit Catalan political leaders in prison

A delegation of British MPs was visiting the Lledoners prison where seven Catalan political leaders are held awaiting trial on Tuesday morning. The group is also hoping this week to meet president Quim Torra, Parliament president Roger Torrent, and representatives of several Catalan parties.

The aim of the group, whose visit began at 11am on Tuesday morning, is to "get the attention" of British MPs and make them more aware of the the political situation in Catalonia, said Scottish MP Gavin Newlands to the Catalan News Agency, on Monday.

"We never imagined that something like this could happen in the European Union," said Newlands, who called the imprisonments "cruel." Newlands is one of the three MPs in the Westminster parliament who are members of the Scottish National Party (SNP).