And Western Australia is just a colony; whether it merges into Australia in the future or exists independently as Western Australia, it will be under the control of the British Government.
Would the British Government be willing to let Australia export a large amount of coal and iron ore to Spain every year? Of course not.
For the United Kingdom, the stronger Spain's industry becomes, the greater the threat to the UK.
The UK does not want the Iberian Peninsula to give rise to a superpower on par with the UK, France, and Germany. This would not only disrupt the UK's strategic planning for the western Mediterranean outlet but also affect the configuration of the European Continent.
After all, although the Iberian Peninsula where Spain is located is isolated, it is still connected to the European Continent. As long as it is connected to the European Continent, Spain can influence the European situation.
