RISHI Sunak has sought to dismiss rumours that his relations with the Prime Minister are under strain by heaping praise on him during his conference speech.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that politics was "a team sport" and thanked his colleagues for their support.

The Herald: Camley's Cartoon: Challenges for Sunak and Johnson.Camley's Cartoon: Challenges for Sunak and Johnson.

He then addressed Boris Johnson, saying: “I’ve seen up close the burden the Prime Minister carries.

“We all know he has an ability to connect with people in a way few politicians manage.

“It is a special and rare quality."

He added: "What the commentators don’t see, the thing I see, is the concern and care he feels, every day, for the wellbeing of the people of our country.

"Yes, it’s been difficult, challenges are part of the job, but on the big calls, in the big moments, Boris Johnson has got it right and that is the leadership that we need."

There have been concerns growing over recent weeks that Rishi Sunak could succeed Mr Johnson as party leader, following polls of membership.

A recent poll of his own party members found just a third of respondents believe Boris Johnson had handled the coronavirus crisis well. 

Another survey of the general public found that Rishi Sunak was more popular than Mr Johnson, and would favour him over the Prime Minister. 

Asked after his speech if he wanted the keys to No.10, Mr Sunak said "No, definitely not, seeing what the PM has to do."

He also revealed he has a close friendship with Mr Johnson, and his two daughters enjoy playing with the PM's dog Dilyn. 

The Chancellor used his 10-minute conference speech to say his “single priority” will be to create opportunity, but reiterated his belief that he cannot save every job.

He said: “I have always said I couldn’t protect every job or every business. No chancellor could.

“And even though I have said it, the pain of knowing it, only grows with each passing day.

“So, I am committing myself to a single priority – to create, support and extend opportunity to as many people as I can.

“Because even if this moment is more difficult than any you have ever faced, even if it feels like there is no hope, I am telling you that there is, and that the overwhelming might of the British state will be placed at your service.

“We will not let talent wither, or waste, we will help all who want it, find new opportunity and develop new skills.”

He added that "hard choices" were everywhere as the country tries to recover economically from the devastation the pandemic has had..

The chancellor's popular furlough scheme is due to wind down at the end of this month, with a fresh set of support measures set to replace it.

However critics say the measures, which allow workers to go part time and retain a larger chunk of their salary, are not going to incentivise firms to retain their staff.

Mr Sunak said: "We will protect the public finances, over the medium-term getting our borrowing and debt back under control.

“We have a sacred responsibility to future generations to leave the public finances strong, and through careful management of our economy, this Conservative Government will always balance the books.

“If instead we argue there is no limit on what we can spend, that we can simply borrow our way out of any hole, what is the point in us?

“I have never pretended there is some easy cost-free answer.

“Hard choices are everywhere.”

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds was unimpressed with Mr Sunak's speech, tweeting shortly after it ended that he had 'blown his chance' of sorting out the country's looming jobs crisis.

She wrote: "The Chancellor just spoke for 10 minutes, but he had nothing new to say.

“No new targeted support for millions facing the furlough cliff edge. Nothing new for the self-employed. Nothing for those excluded so far.

“He just blew his chance to get a grip on Britain’s jobs crisis."

The Liberal Democrats finance spokeswoman Christine Jardine said Sunak's speech would have dispapointed millions of people.

She said: "The Chancellor’s speech will have disappointed millions who were hoping to hear how he plans to help them through this crisis.
“Instead of an extension to furlough, measures to help the millions excluded from help or a boost to universal credit, we were instead given little more than a stump speech to aid Rishi Sunak’s career.
“The country needs concrete measures now to support the millions of people who are worried about their jobs and their family’s financial futures.”