Prime Minister Tony Blair has accepted responsibility for the collapse in trust of Labour over the "cash for peerages" row.
But he insisted he would speak out fully once the police investigation into the affair was over.
Mr Blair was asked on the BBC's Sunday AM programme if he would accept responsibility for the lack of confidence polls showed the public now have in his party and replied: "Everyone bears responsibility."
Pressed if he would take personal responsibility he replied: "Of course, absolutely. But there have been many difficult issues that have given rise to this."
Mr Blair repeatedly refused to comment on whether he expected to be questioned by the Metropolitan Police.
He insisted: "I have got absolutely nothing to say on that because there's an investigation going on."
Asked again if he expected to be questioned Mr Blair said: "I haven't the faintest idea. All I do know is this is an investigation that's got to be allowed to run on its course. I'm not going to comment on it.
"It's important they are allowed to carry out their investigation and I want them to do that. The police are conducting their investigation, let them conduct it - that's my view."
He added: "What's very important is when the police investigation is over I will have the chance to comment on it fully."
Asked if he believed there needed to be a shake up in the way political parties were funded the Prime Minster replied: "I do, but the public will have to work out whether it wants to bear more of the burden as taxpayers."
