In what has been viewed as one of the first indications of a potential leadership campaign, he told The House magazine: “I think the issues around ‘partygate’ are substantive issues.

“They are important issues and we’re now waiting for the results of the independent inquiry to get to the bottom of what happened.

“I wasn’t expecting to leave the Government in 2019, but I’ve enjoyed being on the backbenches much more than I thought. I won’t say my ambition has completely vanished, but it would take a lot to persuade me to put my hat into the ring.”

Mr Hunt is believed to be among those vying for the leadership of the party if Mr Johnson were forced to resign, alongside Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor. 

Both John Lamont, Ms Truss’s parliamentary private secretary, and Laura Farris, another PPS in her department, have spoken critically of the “partygate” scandal over the past two weeks.

Ms Farris said the rules were “unequivocal at that point in time” and that she would have refused an invitation. Mr Lamont said it was “completely unacceptable” that the event went ahead.