Boris Johnson has said he is “fed up to the back teeth” of so-called friends briefing against Theresa May and insisted they do not speak on his behalf.
The Foreign Secretary spoke out in the wake of newspaper articles where allies claimed he wanted Chancellor Philip Hammond to be sacked and would refuse to move if the Prime Minister tried to demote him in a potential reshuffle.
Ms May has faced pressure from rival Conservative factions to sack Mr Johnson and Mr Hammond, as she seeks to shore up her position after an ill-fated party conference speech marred by coughing, a prankster and a collapsing set.
A friend of Mr Johnson told The Telegraph there was a “stench of death emanating from Downing Street”, while another told The Sun he would "love to see her sack Hammond".
In a WhatsApp message to fellow Tories, Mr Johnson said: "I am frankly fed up to the back teeth with all this.
"I do not know who these people are. I do not know if they are really my friends and allies or if they represent some sinister band of imposters.
"I heartily disagree with the sense, tone and spirit of what they are quoted as saying.
"Whoever they are they do not speak for me."
Ms May has faced repeated questions over whether the Foreign Secretary is "unsackable" due to her weakened position after losing her Commons majority in the snap general election.
Asked about Mr Johnson, the Prime Minister told The Sunday Times: "It has never been my style to hide from a challenge and I'm not going to start now."
Downing Street managed to head off a coup attempt on Friday by former party chairman Grant Shapps, who claimed he had gathered up to 30 signatures from Tories keen to topple Ms May.
Senior Tories including Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, backed the Prime Minister and claimed she had the support of the whole Cabinet and the majority of Tory members to get on with the job.
