Michael Gove has apologised after an “indefensible” video emerged of Tory party officials partying during lockdown, but said two of those involved should not be stripped of honours.

‌The Levelling Up Secretary said the footage, during which Conservative staffers appeared to acknowledge they were breaking Covid rules, was “terrible” and “completely out of order”.

‌It shows a gathering which took place at CCHQ on December 14, 2020, just days before Boris Johnson was forced to cancel people’s Christmas plans because of rising infections.

‌In the video, released by The Mirror, a couple can be seen dancing in front of a buffet table laden with food, past signs in the background urging people to maintain social distancing.

‌When one of the attendees asks “are you filming this?” another man can be heard laughing and saying: “As long as we are not streaming that we’re, like, bending the rules.”

‌Asked about the footage, Mr Gove told Sky News: “It’s terrible. The fact that this party went ahead is indefensible. I’m sure the people who were there feel contrite.”

‌The senior Cabinet minister added: “I want to apologise to everyone who, looking at that, will think these people are flouting the rules designed to protect us all.”

‌He added that millions of Britons who had complied with the “curtailment of liberty” during lockdown would be “extremely angry” at seeing the footage.

‌There were at least 24 people in attendance at the event, which was referred to the Metropolitan Police last year after a photograph of it was published by The Mirror.

‌Amongst those present were Shaun Bailey, a former London Assembly member, and Ben Mallett, who was the Tory campaign director for the 2021 London mayoral election.

‌The pair both featured in Boris Johnson’s controversial exit honours list, with the now Lord Bailey receiving a peerage and Mr Mallett getting an OBE.