secretary of health Wes Streeting told how he was “shocked and saddened” by a video which seemed to show his fellow deputy Mike Amesbury repeatedly punching a man to the ground.

But the Cabinet minister stressed he was not seeking to “excuse or justify” the alleged incident.

The police he had to investigate it, without giving Mr. Amesbury any special treatment because he is an MP, he added.

Then, Work The party and Mr Amesbury could decide whether he should stand down as MP for Runcorn and Helsby.

Mr Streeting told Sky News: “It is right that both the Labor Party suspended Mike Amesbury while the investigation takes place and, crucially, to give the police space to do their job and decide what action needs to be taken if is the case.

“I’m shocked and I feel very sad because it’s not something I would have expected from Mike.

“When you work with someone closely and you really like someone, it’s hard to see the image flashing on the screen.”

But he added: “I don’t want to excuse or justify the behavior in any way and I don’t know the context obviously and it’s right for the police to do their job and treat Mike like anyone else.”

He described Mr Amesbury as a “decent, hard-working, affable MP who stands up for his constituents”.

He added: “That in no way explains or excuses what we’re seeing on screen now.”

Pressed on whether he should resign, he added: “It is important that the police are given space to do their job, to decide what action needs to be taken, and it is right that the Labor Party suspends him while that happens.”

Asked again if he should resign: “That’s the kind of judgment that has to be reached when we have all the information available.

“It is not my place, as I am not in possession of all the facts, to be judge, jury and executioner in this case, therefore I have put the police to do their job.

“We’ll wait to see what their investigation turns out to be, it’s for the police to decide what action needs to be taken in terms of their lines of inquiry and off the back it’s then the Labor Party and indeed Mike Amesbury to decide. what should be the appropriate next steps.”

SIR Keir Starmer On Monday he also described the footage as “shocking” as he defended Labour’s decision to suspend him.

The prime minister said the party had “moved very quickly” to respond after the footage emerged.

Mr Amesbury was suspended from the party and lost the Labor whip on Sunday after a clip was published by MailOnline in which Runcorn and Helsby MPs appear to continue punching the man who was lying on the ground as bystanders he shouts “Stop”.

Cheshire Police confirmed that a 55-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed as a precaution in relation to the incident after officers were called to reports of an assault in Frodsham at 2.48am on Saturday.

“He has since been released pending further enquiries,” the force said.

CCTV released on Sunday captured two men standing face to face before the man, claimed to be Mr Amesbury, punched the other and further knocked him to the ground.

It is not clear from the video what happened in the moments before, but The Times reported that the two men were involved in a “heated” discussion about plans to close a bridge in the Amesbury constituency for engineering work next year.

There were also reports that the dispute involved winter fuel payments, which the Government canceled for tens of millions of pensioners.

It comes after various images posted on social media on Saturday appeared to show the MP shouting and pointing at a man lying in the street.

“You will never threaten me again, will you? You’ll never threaten me again, will you? he seemed to say.

Mr Amesbury said on Saturday he would “cooperate with any inquiry” but was “determined to remain an open and accessible MP to our community” after the initial footage circulated online.

He said in a statement: “Last night, I was involved in an incident that occurred after I felt threatened in the street following an outing with friends.

“This morning I personally contacted Cheshire Police to report what happened during the incident.”

Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins said the video footage was “shocking” and it was “disappointing” it took some time for Labor to act and suspend Mr Amesbury afterwards.