Watch the moment Yorkshire MP makes obscene gesture at Boris Johnson protestors outside Downing Street

Conservative Ms Jenkyns, who was on Friday promoted to being a minister at the Department of Education in the wake of Boris Johnson's resignation, can be seen sticking her middle finger up at crowds gathered on Whitehall.

The video shows her gesturing at crowds before passing through the security gate.

Since its being posted on Thursday it has attracted the ire of Labour MPs.

Christian Wakeford, who defected from the Tories to Labour earlier this year tweeted: "You are not fit to be in elected office@andreajenkyns let alone a Minister. Imagine having such contempt for the public of this country who pay your wages."

Fellow Labour MP Bridget Phillipson wrote: "Ministers aren’t expected to be perfect. But is it really too much to ask that they don’t treat the public like this?"

On Saturday morning Mark Spencer, the former chief whip, told BBC Breakfast she should "explain herself" but said emotions were "running high."

Asked if the gesture was acceptable, he said: "No, I don’t think it is, to be honest. I don’t seek to condone that at all.

“I mean, Andrea will have to… justify that for herself.

"But I do understand emotions were running pretty high and they were pretty raw on that day."

Ms Jenkyns is now parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education following a promotion on Friday.

She tweeted: "It's my honour to serve the Prime Minister as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education. Our education & care systems help to shape the next generation & lay the foundations for the future."

Andrea Jenkyns was contacted for comment.