SCOTTISH politicians have united to send a message to the Spanish government that its actions in Catalonia are a violation of the “the norms of European democracy”.

The Tories were the only party not to sign a letter saying the escalation of tensions over the proposed independence referendum could only be resolve though political action, dialogue and allowing the people to “express their will democratically”.

Ross Greer, external affairs spokesman for the Scottish Greens, said: “As MSPs we represent a spectrum of opinions on Scotland’s own constitutional debate and it’s certainly not for us to tell the Catalan people what choices they should make.

“As democrats and parliamentarians, however, we must defend the right of peoples across the world to decide their own future and the right of elected representatives to carry out their duties to the people without fear of arrest.

“To see a state at the heart of Europe take such oppressive actions against its own people is simply unacceptable.

“The Spanish Government must try to find a political solution to this situation.

“The alternative, of arresting government staff and senior officials, raiding the offices of newspapers and political parties and deploying an increasingly militarised police against a democratic movement of citizens, is a dark road to go down.”

In their letter to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the MSPs expressed their “grave concern” at the government’s “escalating actions” in Catalonia.

They added: “We call on you and your government to engage with the Catalan Government as partners in facilitating a democratic and just resolution to this situation.”