Tony Blair has taken the unusual step of issuing a personal rebuttal after press reports that his officials tried to enhance his role in the Queen Mother's lying-in-state.

The move comes after the prime minister withdrew a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

This is the full text of the prime minister's statement.

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"I agreed to settle the PCC case on the basis that the newspapers had made clear they accepted I did nothing wrong or improper in relation to the events surrounding the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

"It is clear that far from accepting that, they continue to publish false accounts of what happened during that period.

"I had hoped to avoid an unseemly public row about this but in the light of the contrary reports being put into the public domain, I am today publishing a chronology of contacts with Black Rod's office, and I am also publishing the evidence we submitted to the PCC.

"I believe it shows that the civil servants in Downing Street did nothing more than seek to establish what was expected of me, and that this was done, quite properly, without reference to me.

'False and serious allegations'

"I have absolute confidence in the integrity of the civil servants involved in these discussions. They are career civil servants who have served Labour and Conservative governments.

"I know the public is far more interested in issues of policy, the economy, jobs and living standards, public services, than this. So am I. They are the issues I spend my time dealing with.

"But when false and serious allegations continue to be made like this, I feel I have to try to set the record straight.

"I should add that at no time have I, or anyone on my behalf, received a complaint from the office of Black Rod."