The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, in response to a question from Welsh MP Hywel Williams, has said that Westminster could debate Welsh independence without issue. He also noted that under British law, "as Speaker, I too enjoy immunity for the manner in which I preside over debates".

"It is of course entirely orderly for there to be a debate in this house on Welsh independence. Members enjoy immunity for the words they utter in this chamber and can come to no grief as a result of their freedom of expression," he said. Bercow said that whilst the Commons' arrangements, in the general sense, are "by no means incapable of improvement", "they could perhaps, in important respects, be imitated by others who proclaim a commitment to democracy".

He also stated that he remembered the "privilege" of welcoming his counterpart Carme Forcadell to the House of Commons. Forcadell is currently in prison whilst on trial in the Supreme Court for having allowed the Catalan Parliament to debate two bills in September 2017 relating to the independence referendum.

I raised a Point of Order for @Plaid_Cymru on the twelve Catalan leaders on trial simply for organising a democratic referendum on Catalan independence.



These peaceful people are political prisoners held against their human rights for believing in self-determination #Catalonia pic.twitter.com/gpkTW1Rl74 — Hywel Williams AS/MP 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@HywelPlaidCymru) 13 de febrer de 2019

Williams tweeted a video of their exchange, adding that "these peaceful people are political prisoners held against their human rights for believing in self-determination".

Earlier, during Prime Minister's Questions, Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP in the House of Commons, started his time by thanking "so many of my colleagues on sporting yellow today as a mark of solidarity with those from Catalonia who are on trial for the political principle of supporting self-determination".

.@theSNP Westminster Group led by @IanBlackfordMP showing their solidarity with political prisoners in Madrid. Democracy is on trial. pic.twitter.com/ZlTElXM2hM — Ronnie Cowan MP (@ronniecowan) 13 de febrer de 2019

​The UK government agreed with Edinburgh to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014, won by union supporters.