Ousted ex-LibDem Scotland Secretary Alistair Carmichael has confessed it was him who leaked the infamous Nicola Sturgeon memo claiming she wanted the Tories to win the election.

The former Scottish Secretary admits all in a statement:

“I had not seen the document before it was published in the Daily Telegraph, however I was aware of its content and agreed that my special adviser should make it public.

I should not have agreed this. It was an error of judgement which I regret.

I accept full responsibility for the publication of the document.

I have written today to the First Minister and to the French Ambassador to apologise to them both.

Had I still been a Government Minister I would have considered this to be a matter that required my resignation.  I have therefore informed the Cabinet Secretary that I will decline my ministerial severance payment.”

Here is Carmichael denying it was him at the time, claiming “The first I heard of this was when I received a phone call from a journalist”:

This is what @acarmichaelmp said when asked if he knew who had leaked the #FrenchGate memo. #nikileakshttps://t.co/vo9ZRty5TW

— Ross Colquhoun (@rosscolquhoun) May 22, 2015

Now we know he was telling a great big whopper.