The Tory leadership race has been engulfed by a dirty tricks storm as Boris Johnson's backers reportedly plot to knock out Michael Gove .
A rival demanded Mr Johnson disown the claims publicly today as his team were accused of "dark arts" and "game-playing" in the race to be Prime Minister.
Jeremy Hunt , Michael Gove and Sajid Javid are all battling through a double ballot today to become the candidate to face 1/10-odds frontrunner Boris Johnson in a final vote.
But it's thought Mr Johnson has never forgiven Michael Gove for knifing him out of the 2016 leadership race, going back on a previous vow to be his running mate.
So visceral is the hatred that it's understood one senior Tory ruled out backing Mr Gove because they feared it would enrage Mr Johnson so much.
So the Daily Telegraph has claimed Mr Johnson's team could 'lend' some of his 143 MP backers to Sajid Javid in today's ballot.
If successful that could boost his total of 38 votes beyond Michael Gove's 51, knocking Mr Gove out the race.
It would also clear the way for Jeremy Hunt, who won 54 backers yesterday, to become the 'not Boris' candidate.
One Boris backer said they wanted Michael Gove to be "humiliated".
Jeremy Hunt backer Amber Rudd today demanded Boris Johnson personally disown the claims.
"I would really call on Boris himself to repudiate the information that is coming out of 'friends of Boris', saying this, saying one thing," she told the BBC.
"This is a serious moment. We don't need that sort of game playing going on in Parliament."
Sources in Mr Johnson's camp played down the Telegraph's report last night.
Brexiteer backer Andrea Jenkyns said although there were "tricks going on" in the contest, Mr Johnson's campaign was not to blame.
She also told ITV's Peston there would be "some poetic justice" if the bitter rivals were in the final run-off.
Rory Stewart also accused Boris Johnson's team of "dark arts" hours before his total mysteriously dropped from 37 to 27 last night, knocking him out of the contest.
But after the result he too told ITV's Peston: "I don't think it was dirty tricks by Boris.
"I think what happened is that somehow some combination of my message and momentum convinced the other camps to tighten up, so I think most of my votes will have gone to Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and some to Sajid."
Boris Johnson ally Gavin Williamson - who was singled out by Mr Stewart as part of his claims - declined to comment on the "dark arts" allegations.
It comes as the Tory race for Prime Minister enters its final phase at Westminster today, with MPs holding two ballots to knock out two of the remaining four candidates.
The two who survive after the final announcement at 6pm will then go to a month-long vote by 160,000 Tory members.
Ex-Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson won a whopping 143 of 313 Tory MPs last night, meaning he's almost guaranteed to make the final two.
But there was everything to play for between Jeremy Hunt (54) and Michael Gove (51).
Meanwhile The Times reported that Sajid Javid has been offered "all sorts of job", even Chancellor, by intermediaries close to Mr Johnson.
Boris Johnson's team consistently say the frontrunner is not offering anyone any jobs and not discussing them.
The Home Secretary insisted his sights were set on Number 10 and he was "in it to win it".
