The British people have the right to decide - have the right to decide whether or not they want to be part of the E.U. And I shouldn't interfere in this.

To be honest, I am very worried about the possibility of the U.K. leaving the E.U. But of course, like in the case of Catalonia, we have to respect the right to decide of the British people on a relationship that part of the Brits consider is not satisfying enough.

With Rajoy, there is a taboo topic, which is the aspiration of Catalonia to decide its future.

I know the British people and they are not passengers - they are drivers.

We're seeing a reaction - and people taking to the streets with pots and pans - in areas where the independence movement isn't supposed to exist. People have to choose between one model and another. Everyone in Catalonia has realised that not taking part means ratifying the politics of repression of the Spanish government.

It is not polite for a Russian to interfere in British politics.