AN exasperated Boris Johnson has moved to distance himself from “sinister” reports, claiming that he would resist any attempt by Theresa May to demote him in a Cabinet reshuffle.

The Foreign Secretary insisted so-called "friends and allies" quoted in media reports were not speaking for him and did not represent his views.

In a WhatsApp message to Conservative MPs, he suggested they were "some sinister band of imposters".

It followed reports in the The Daily Telegraph and The Sun claiming he would refuse to go if the Prime Minister tried to move him to a lesser role.

One supporter of Mr Johnson was quoted as saying that there was a "stench of death" emanating from Downing Street.

But in his message, which comes ahead of what is expected to be a fiery meeting of the Conservatives’ backbench 1922 Committee on Wednesday, the Secretary of State 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," he declared.

Following the turmoil of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mrs May has faced repeated questions as to whether or not Mr Johnson was "unsackable" due to her weakened position.

Asked what she might do with him, Mrs May replied: "It has never been my style to hide from a challenge and I'm not going to start now."

Many Tory MPs are understood to be furious about what they regard as Mr Johnson's disloyalty, setting out his own "red lines" on the Brexit negotiations in defiance of Government policy, and want him removed.

Over the weekend, however, pro-Brexit MPs hit back, urging Mrs May to get rid of Philip Hammond, who has argued for a "softer", pro-business Brexit that would protect jobs and investment.

An unnamed Cabinet minister claimed the Chancellor had "completely failed", was "miserable" and was "making Brexit hard".

Senior backbencher Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the steering committee of the European Research Group of MPs, used a Guardian column to attack Mr Hammond's department, although not the Chancellor himself.

"The Treasury seems unable to hear any voices except those that reinforce their preconceptions. It seems blind to the facts, preoccupied with preserving 'access' to the EU market seemingly at any cost," he said.

Fellow Tory MP Nadine Dorries was more direct, telling ITV's Peston on Sunday: "If I were Prime Minister the person I would be demoting or sacking would be Philip Hammond. I think she very much wanted to do that before the election was called.

"I don't think he has been totally on board, I think he has been deliberately trying to make the Brexit negotiations difficult, stall them, obfuscate the issues. I just don't think he has been 100% on board."

However, Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, insisted the Cabinet was united.

"Rumour is always destabilising but let me assure you the Cabinet is not divided, we are behind the Prime Minister," he told Sky News.

"You will hear her reporting to Parliament today, we all support the speech she made in Florence setting out the Government's approach to the Brexit negotiations, and after last week's conference we're all getting behind her."

He went on: "We are a united Cabinet; as one behind the Prime Minister."

Asked about Mr Johnson, the Scot added: "And the Foreign Secretary."

At a regular daily briefing, the PM’s spokesman declined to comment on reshuffle speculation but made clear Ms May had full confidence in both Mr Hammond and Mr Johnson and believed they were doing a good job.

Asked if Mrs May agreed with Eurosceptic Tories that the Treasury was blocking progress on Brexit, the spokesman said: "The Treasury, like every department in Whitehall, is working hard to deliver on the wishes of the British public and to deliver a smooth and orderly Brexit."

He added: "I never discuss whether reshuffles are or are not taking place but as the Prime Minister said yesterday in the Sunday Times, she has a fantastic Cabinet."

The spokesman was asked whether or not Mrs May's response to a question about Mr Johnson, when she said that she did not "duck challenges", meant that she regarded her Foreign Secretary as a "challenge".

He replied: "The PM was talking broadly about how she is a politician who never ducks a challenge."