Tory MP Mark Harper says he strongly supports the government in standing up to Ukraine, but says it is times like this the prime minister must "exemplify the values" of the UK.

He says Boris Johnson broke the laws he set for others to follow, hadn't been straightforward about it, and was now "going to ask decent men and women on these benches to defend the indefensible".

He adds that he is "no longer worthy of great office he holds".

The PM says he knows "the care and sincerity of which he weighs his words", and "bitterly regrets" breaking the rules.

He says plans to get on with the job.

Iain Watson
Reporting from the House of Commons

It was noticeable that the prime minister repeated his apology when Keir Starmer concluded his remarks.

This is in stark contrast to the tone he adopted back in February which dismayed many on his own side when he decided the best form of defence was attack.

Back then, he wrongly suggested that Keir Starmer, as Director of Public Prosecutions, failed to prosecute the prolific sex abuser Jimmy Savile.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey says it is "profoundly damaging to our great country" to have a prime minister the public no longer trusts.

He asks the PM to give Conservative MPs a free vote on Thursday so they can decide "whether he deliberately misled Parliament or was so incompetent he didn't understand his own laws".

Labour's Margaret Hodge notes that Johnson is "anxious to move on to other issues".

She asks how he can "credibly justify calling for resignation of the boss of P&O ferries when he faced allegations of breaking the law while on the other hand he is refusing to resign when he himself is guilty of breaking the law".

Johnson says P&O's actions were entirely wrong. He also repeats his apology.

If you want to see him say it, here it is.

Image source, UK Parliament

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford notes that parliamentary rules prevent him from calling the prime minister a liar.

But he says that it doesn't matter because the public have already made up their mind.

He says the PM has broken the law and adds that: "If he has any decency he would not just apologise, he would resign."

He urges Conservative MPs to "grow a spine" and remove Johnson as their leader.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Keir Starmer is seeking to make "Partygate" an issue of Boris Johnson’s character. And he has been arguing that the fines are far from trivial.

Picking up on the speeding fine analogy used by some of Johnson’s supporters, he said he prosecuted a government minister who got a speeding ticket and lied about it.

He was Director of Public Prosecutions when Lib Dem cabinet minister Chris Huhne was sent to prison after claiming his wife, and not he himself, had been at the wheel of the vehicle.

Johnson also turns back the Labour leader's comment about "nodding dogs" in cabinet to him when he sat alongside Jeremy Corbyn on the frontbench.

He said the government was leading the world in its response in helping Ukraine.

And the PM apologises once more, saying the government "should not indulge in personal abuse but get on with the job".

Responding to the Labour leader, the PM apologises again "profusely" to all those who lost loved ones.

Johnson says his opponent has responded with "a series of personal attacks" and he understands that.

But it would have been a "good thing" if Starmer had mentioned the crisis in Ukraine.

"This government will get on with our job," he adds.

Keir Starmer tells MPs about the case of one person called John Robinson whose wife died during the pandemic.

"John would've given the world to hold his dying wife's hand even if it was just for nine minutes - but he didn't because he followed the rules.

"Rules the prime minister repeatedly and deliberately ignored."

Starmer says a "half-hearted apology will never be enough for John".

He concludes by urging Conservative MPs to "put their country first, put their conscience first, put John Robinson first and remove the prime minister from office".

Image source, House of Commons

Starmer notes that some ministers have compared the PM's penalty with a speeding fine.

"No one has ever broken down in tears because they couldn't drive faster than 20mph outside a school," the Labour leader says.

"Don't insult the public with this nonsense."

Image source, UK Parliament

Starmer continues, saying this isn't a "fixable glitch" but is "what he does and who he is".

"He is dishonest, incapable of changing and drags everyone else down with him."

The Speaker later tells Starmer to withdraw his use of the word "dishonest". Starmer does so but adds the prime minister "knows what he is".

"What a joke," replies Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in his opening comments now the PM has sat down.

He calls the PM's apology "mealy mouthed" and says the public have already made up their mind and "don't believe a word he says".

The PM moves onto the energy price rises at home - exacerbated by the war in Ukraine - and repeats a number of pledges by the government on expanding home-grown power.

He concludes his statement saying: "My job is to work everyday to make the British people safer, more secure and more prosperous and that is what I will continue to do."

Iain Watson
Reporting from the House of Commons

Boris Johnson arrived side by side with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and to cheers from the Conservative benches. But before he completed his first paragraph of his statement the opposition benches were shouting "resign".

By maintaining that he did not realise that his birthday gathering was against the rules, he can claim that he did not mislead the House - which is regarded as a resigning matter - when he previously said that he had been assured that the rules had been followed.

But Johnson warns that Putin has regrouped and has now launched his onslaught in Donbas.

You can read more about that here.

He says the long-term goal must to be to strengthen Ukraine so Russia will never dare such an invasion again.

Doing just that, he talks about Russian President Putin's "failure" in Ukraine and praises the successes of the country's "valour".

He talks about meeting the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the pair's walk through Kyiv, meeting a man who praised Britain's help.

Image source, House of Commons

The PM says he has already taken significant steps to change the workings of No 10.

But he says because of how angry the British people are, he feels an even greater sense of obligation to focus on their priorities.

And he says he wants to focus on Ukraine.

Johnson says he acknowledges the hurt and anger caused, and says people had the right to expect better from their prime minister.

He says that "not by way of mitigation or excuse" but to explain his words in the House, it did not occur to him the gathering in the Cabinet Room on his birthday could amount to a breach of the rules.

"That was my mistake and I apologise for it unreservedly", he adds.

Image source, UK Parliament

Boris Johnson begins his statement by saying he would update the House on government activity during the Easter recess.

He adds he has been on a conference call about Ukraine. But first "in all humility" he will talk about his fine.