Cash-in-hand dealings in PP headquarters 'reached over eight million euros'

AT LEAST 8.3 million euros in undeclared cash was handled at the PP government headquarters in Madrid in a 20-year period, according to documents on a pen-drive ex-treasurer Luis Bárcenas is said to have handed to the judge.

Blocks of banknotes in briefcases, suitcases and bags were reportedly passed around in the offices on C/ Génova in the capital between 1990 and 2010, claims a report in Spanish national daily El Mundo.

The reporter, Pedro J Ramírez, says the majority of this 'off-the-books' money ended up in the pockets of PP members, with party consultant Pedro Ariola being the main beneficiary, receiving 1.5 million euros in cash in hand and the person who received the second-highest amount of undeclared money being Spanish president Mariano Rajoy, with 350,000 euros.

Bárcenas is remanded in custody and being questioned over a supposed tax fraud involving extra wages in cash being given to top-flight PP members, as well as corruption and 'back-handers'.

Opposition leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba has called for a no-confidence vote in Rajoy to be cast, unless he speaks out in the Congress building.

The socialists say they do not believe they would succeed with what would be only the third no-confidence vote in Spain's democratic history, since they would not have a majority vote, but appear willing to at least try to carry out their threat.

PP leaders have attempted to veto Rajoy's testifying in court as a witness in the Bárcenas case, but prosecutors say they themselves have the authority to decide upon this and if they believe there are grounds to call Rajoy in to give a statement, the president will be expected to do so.