Boris Johnson has admitted misleading MPs over Partygate.

In a written submission to the inquiry probing his truthfulness in parliament, the former prime minister says he accepts to "that the House of Commons was misled by my statements that the Rules and Guidance had been followed completely at No 10."

However, the ousted Tory leader goes on to say that he did not "intentionally or recklessly" lie.

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The Privileges Committee is examining evidence around at least four occasions when Mr Johnson may have misled MPs with his assurances to the Commons that lockdown rules were followed.

The committee will publish its findings on whether Mr Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament and make a recommendation on any punishment, but the ultimate decision will fall to the full House of Commons.

A suspension of 10 sitting days or more for Mr Johnson could ultimately trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat.

In his submission to the committee, published on Tuesday morning, Mr Johnson says that when he made the statements in the Commons, "they were made in good faith and on the basis of what I honestly knew and believed at the time. I did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House on December 1 2021, December 8 2021, or on any other date. I would never have dreamed of doing so.”

The Argus:

He added: “It is of course true that my statements to Parliament that the Rules and Guidance had been followed at all times did not turn out to be correct, and I take this opportunity to apologise to the House for that.

“As soon as the Sue Gray investigation and the Metropolitan Police investigation had been concluded, I corrected the record. I believed – and I still believe – that this was the earliest opportunity at which I could make the necessary correction.

“It was not fair or appropriate to give a half-baked account, before the facts had been fully and properly established, including into many events about which I had no personal knowledge.”