Rishi Sunak has reignited speculation that he harbours ambitions for No 10 by refusing three times to say if he wanted to be Prime Minister.
The Chancellor insisted he and Boris Johnson were "in lockstep" over major spending commitments expected this autumn - despite ongoing suggestions that they are not.
The PM reportedly threatened to demote Mr Sunak last week in the latest sign of tensions between the top Tory pair.
Asked repeatedly by ITV News if he had ambitions to take on the top job, the Chancellor said: "These are not the sort of things I'm focused on".
More than half of Tory voters want Mr Sunak to succeed the PM in Downing Street, according to a recent poll by JL Partners for the Daily Mail.
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And some 47% of Conservatives want this transition to happen in the next 12 months.
The PM was said to have been "apoplectic" with anger after a letter from Mr Sunak criticising the Government's travel rules was leaked to the media.
He threatened to demote Mr Sunak to Health Secretary in an open Government meeting which the Chancellor did not attend, according to the Sunday Times.
Asked about the row, Mr Sunak said: "I don’t pay attention to all of these things, so I don’t think there is anything much more I can say about that.
"What I can say is like every Cabinet minister I work for the Prime Minister - and he and I work really well, and really closely together as people have seen over the past 12 to 18 months."
Downing Street refused to be drawn on Mr Johnson's explosive threats when pressed by journalists earlier this week.
"I am not going to get into internal meetings," the PM's spokesman said.
He insisted however that there were no plans for a reshuffle and that the two men were working "in lockstep".
"The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have always enjoyed a close and effective working relationship, and will continue to do so," the spokesman said.
"I think you can see, particularly during the pandemic, they have worked closely together.
"They have been in lockstep throughout this incredibly challenging period for the country.
"There no plans for any reshuffle."
