Boris Johnson has been accused of saying he would rather allow "bodies (to) pile high in their thousands" than impose another national lockdown.
It has been reported that the Tory prime minister made the comments after he made the announcement of a second lockdown at the end of October.
The reports have been strongly denied by Downing Street saying it was "just another lie".
It comes as Johnson is engaged in a bitter fall out with his former adviser Dominic Cummings over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, leaked text messages and his refurbishment of the Downing Street flat.
According to the Daily Mail, Johnson is believed to have said, "No more f*****g lockdowns - let the bodies pile high in their thousands!"
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said reports that the Prime Minister said he would rather see "bodies pile high in their thousands" than order a third lockdown were "not true".
Defending Johnson, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "Look, it is not true, it has been categorically denied by practically everyone.
"We are getting into the sort of comedy chapter now of these gossip stories - unnamed sources, by unnamed advisers talking about unnamed events.
"None of this is serious. The Prime Minister has been utterly focused on delivering, alongside Cabinet colleagues, the response to Covid."
He added: "All the 'who said, what said', I'll leave that to the Oscar gossip columns that are now being rolled out today after last night.
"I'll leave that to the Hello magazines of the world but Government is focused on delivering for the citizens on its Covid response."
A Labour Party spokesman said: “If this report is true, then these are truly shocking and sickening comments from Boris Johnson.
“It is hard to imagine how families who have lost loved ones to Covid will feel reading them. He must make a public statement as soon as possible.”
