Spain’s People’s party hit by alleged multimillion cash-for-favours scandal

Claims involve former finance minister Cristobal Montoro and dealings with gas and other energy companies

Just when Spain's opposition People's party thought it had the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez on the ropes over a series of corruption scandals, it has been hit by a controversy of its own over alleged trafficking of influences by Cristobal Montoro, the former finance minister.

It is alleged that Montoro established the economic team", a lawyer's office linked to the finance ministry, which took kickbacks from gas and other energy companies in return for favourable government policy. It is claimed that between 2008 and 2015 Montoro and 27 other accused, among them senior treasury officials, were paid at least 11m (9.5m) by big energy companies.