Opposition Popular Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado has told Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez that if he wants an agreement post the coronavirus crisis

Opposition Popular Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado has told Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez that if he wants an agreement post the coronavirus crisis, although he doubts he does, then it would have to be reached in parliament.

The challenge came after the (PSOE) Socialist Party politician made a “heartfelt” plea to opposition parties to come together to create a national plan to rebuild the Spanish economy.

Casado offered no confirmation as to whether he would take part in today’s meeting that the prime minister has organised in a bid to explore the possibility of reaching a cross party agreement.

Casado, who, along with the far-right Vox party, has slammed the government’s handling of the epidemic, called on Sánchez to be more humble and to wear a black tie as a sign of mourning for the victims of the Covid-19 disease, he also blamed him for turning Spain into one of the worst countries in the world in its response to the health crisis.

Sánchez responded by saying that he was living every one of the coronavirus deaths in Spain as if they were members of his own family, and promised that when the worst of the pandemic is over, the victims and their families would have the tribute that they deserved.

He also rejected the accusation that Spain was responding poorly to the epidemic compared to other countries, pointing to the reduction in the daily infection rate from 35% to the current 3%.

He said that this fall was proof that the measures adopted by the government, such as the strict lockdown, were working.

Sánchez repeated that all of the decisions being taken were backed by a committee of experts and scientists, and repeated his call for political unity.

Later, both the PP and Vox focused their attacks on Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias, who has become a target of the right-wing parties because they believe that he is imposing radical and populist policies on the government, taking advantage of the coronavirus crisis.

Vox MP Juan Luis Steegman, who is also a doctor, attacked health minister, Salvador Illa, on the official government figures.

He said there are thousands of people who have died without being tested and not properly counted such as care home residents.