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THE Prime Minister was ticked off by the Parliamentary standards watchdog two years ago for registering his financial interests late.

Following two separate investigations, he was found guilty of declaring his interests late on at least five occasions.

It comes amid concern that Boris Johnson failed to register a donation or loan of £58,000 for the refurbishment of his flat at No11 Downing Street.

Two years ago the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards concluded that Mr Johnson had been late reporting on a number of other occasions.

In January 2019, six months before he became Prime Minister, he registered an interest in the form of a 20 per cent share of property in Somerset – a year after he learned he had acquired the stake. Mr

Johnson apologised for the mistake, saying he had misread the rules.

Kathryn Stone, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, wrote: ‘I accept that the Member had misunderstood the House’s rules but he should have checked more carefully what was required of him’. She noted that this was not the first time the PM had fallen foul of the rules.

In autumn 2018 she concluded an investigation into a complaint against Mr Johnson which established that on four previous occasions in the recent past he was late in registering financial interests. This involved nine separate payments.

He had to apologise to the House of Commons, which he did that December.

The Commissioner stated: ‘His failure to check properly that he brought his Register entry up to date during the last inquiry might be regarded as a lack of respect for the House’s rules and the standards system. That does not demonstrate the leadership one would expect.’

The Commons standards committee said: ‘We conclude with concern that these two investigations in rapid succession demonstrate a pattern of behaviour.

‘While there is no suggestion that he has tried deliberately to conceal his interests, this latest breach reinforces the view we expressed in our previous report, that he has displayed “an over-casual attitude towards obeying the rules of the House”.

‘Should we conclude in future that Mr Johnson has committed any further breaches of the rules on registration, we will regard this as a matter which may call for more serious sanction.’