Former Spanish socialist minister José Bono stated in an interview in Spanish television channel La Sexta that the Spanish Socialists will not allow an independence referendum in Catalonia. He assures that it has nothing to do with an "anti-Catalan feeling", but that it is from a "solidarity approach" and that, while his party is governing, self-determination will not be a viable option.
Talking about other political parties, he admitted being aware that the Spanish government needs Podemos votes and Catalan Republican Left (ERC)'s abstention, although he would like the situation to be different.
Bono also referred to Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras and stated that he is not receiving any favourable treatment inside the prison, and considers that the Republican leader's prison leave to work is more of "a prison favour than a political favour".
When asked if the Spanish government had given in at all to the pro-independence demands, the former socialist leader answered: "There are things I have to make an effort to understand. It is not a good thing to behave like the Spanish Inquisition [Torquemada] condemning what you initially don’t understand".