Pedro Sánchez in Palma. | Jaime Moreda

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Prime Minister Sánchez was fifty minutes late for his meeting with King Felipe in Palma on Wednesday. He was delayed by a meeting at the industry ministry in Madrid which went on longer than had been expected. He should have arrived at the Marivent Palace at 1pm; instead it was nearly two o'clock.

It is normal for a prime minister to come to Majorca when the King is on holiday. Weekly meetings are held come what may, and the situation at present is delicate. Sánchez, acting PM as it must be stressed, has his investiture to concern him. Having previously failed to secure this, he will hope that his party, PSOE, can arrive at agreements which will facilitate the investiture at the next time of asking - in September. If not, there will need to be another general election.

The main message that Sánchez brought with him to Palma was that he was seeking new meetings with Unidas Podemos about their support and with the leaders of Ciudadanos and the Partido Popular. If these two were to abstain, Sánchez would be able to form a government. Referring to Pablo Casado of the PP, Sánchez said that he would be asking him to assume responsibility. There is no alternative to facilitating the forming of a government.

Sánchez stressed the importance of there being a progressive socialist government that doesn't depend on minority parties which favour independence. He emphasised that the country doesn't want or deserve another election and insisted that he wasn't going to throw in the towel.