Spanish PM apologises to voters after MP resigns over corruption allegations

Pressure grows for snap election as judge finds firm evidence' of Santos Cerdan's possible role in kickbacks

Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has apologised to voters but ruled out a snap election after a senior member of his Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE) resigned hours after a supreme court judge found firm evidence" of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts.

Sanchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People's party (PP) out of government, is already contending with a series of graft investigations relating to his wife, his brother, his former transport minister, and one of that minister's aides. All deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil police unit investigating the corruption allegations.