Catalonia determined to hold vote

Politicians in Catalonia insisted tomorrow’s independence referendum would go ahead with the majority of eligible voters taking part as Spain’s national government continued to shun the poll.

Madrid’s culture minister Inigo Mendez de Vigo, acting as spokesman for Spain’s cabinet, has accused the secessionist coalition ruling the northeastern region of bending the laws to go ahead with a vote regardless of warnings from courts.

Columns of tractors waving the lone-star flag of Catalan independence were yesterday gathering in Catalan towns to defend the banned referendum.