Catalan president disappoints again, says he cannot call elections

Contrary to earlier reports, the nationalist leader of the Spanish region of Catalonia did not call for fresh elections, claiming that officials in Madrid were to the blame because they had failed to provide sufficient guarantees regarding the implementation of article 155 of the country's constitution in order to do so and that they had not responded to his offers for dialogue.

His remarks were made roughly one hour before the start of a plenary session of the regional parliament which was due to begin at 1700 BST and just ahead of the beginning of the Spanish Senate's hearings on whether to authorise their Prime Minister to suspend the region's autonomy.

Puigdemont said it was now up to his parliament to decide whether or not to move forward with a unilateral declaration of independence.