Carles Puigdemont’s descent into mockery is complete

It was the question that many journalists were asking: what had become of Mrs Puigdemont and the two little Puigdemonts? Well, yesterday afternoon we found out. After a bit of elementary detective work, we photographed her driving home with her two children in the car. In other words, doing the school run.

Now, Marcela Topor – she uses her maiden name – has long stood four-square behind her husband in his quixotic battle for independence. For all we know, she could have no objection to him leaving her holding the babies (she did not respond to my request for an interview). But as I caught sight of the harassed expression on her face as she ferried her two girls home from school before dashing on to another appointment, it was hard to shake the impression that her husband was rather a cad.

With the Belgian prime minister emphasising that the Catalan separatist would be treated ‘like any other citizen’, Carles Puigdemont’s future looks increasingly in doubt.