Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday (July 15) said he would not resign after opposition leaders called for him to leave office due to a growing scandal over alleged illegal financing of the ruling People's Party.

He said the scandal would not derail his political reform programme and vowed to stay in office until his term ended, despite renewed calls from the opposition for his resignation after Spanish daily El Mundo published alleged text messages between Rajoy and the disgraced former PP treasurer Luis Barcenas.

A week earlier El Mundo published the PP's alleged original ledger showing leading members of the party, including Rajoy, received illegal payments from a slush fund. The allegations triggered calls from the opposition demanding Rajoy explain the newspapers allegations.

Rajoy's government and the PP have denied they have received illegal payments from a slush fund operated by Barcenas who says photocopies of the payments are shown in a ledger published by El Pais in January.

Barcenas gave an interview to El Mundo last week and handed over what he said was the original ledger detailing payments to party officials, including Rajoy.

The scandal has angered Spaniards and, although analysts doubt it will topple Rajoy, support for the PP has plummeted since the November 2011 general election.

Presented by Adam Justice

Read more: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/spain-pm-rajoy-corruption-resign-barcenas-slush-490498

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