West Dorset MP Chris Loder says he is "deeply embarrassed and humiliated" by the revelation of parties at Downing Street.

Mr Loder has spoken out about the events but has not called for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign after he thought a garden party held at Number 10 during the UK lockdown was a business meeting.

He says that although he and most of his colleagues are not "plastered all over the television" highlighting how wrong it was, he went to see the Prime Minister before Christmas to tell him directly.

He said: "There are two things that stand out. Firstly, that whilst we were at home respecting the rules, it is becoming clearer and clearer that this was not the case in Number 10.

"What irks so much about this is that I know the pain and trauma so many of us went through because they could not be with their family members during this horrible time. I myself had to stay in London for Christmas 2020 because of these restrictions and know only too well that sadness. And that was even worse for those who died on their own or were not able to attend a funeral."

The second thing, he said, was that the law does not stop at the garden wall of Number 10 and if some of the advisors didn't think these rules were needed, we should not have had them imposed.

"But the reality is that they were required and should have been adhered to.

"I know you put your trust in me as your MP and, by default, the Prime Minister as well. I know that, regardless of political view, the most important thing is to be able to trust the person who holds the highest elected office in the land. I am fully understanding of that and I want to re-assure you that I shall continue to ensure that decency and honour are integral at the heart of our Government.

"With no fewer than seven events in the spotlight at the moment, I'm not convinced that the evolving narrative from the Prime Minister, most recently in the House of Commons, is acceptable. The investigation taking place will bring the facts to light and I will expect to see it in the House of Commons shortly."