Tom DeLay, the former majority leader in the US House of Representatives, issued an apology of sorts yesterday, acknowledging that Republicans’ recent record on controlling spending had not been as strong as it should be and pledging a renewed commitment to fiscal discipline.

Mr DeLay’s unusually contrite remarks came as Republicans seek to reassert their belief in limiting the size of government in the face of deep deficits and intense intra-party squabbling over spending.