Rishi Sunak has appealed for Tory unity ahead of a 'tough autumn' amid a Cabinet revolt over plans for a National Insurance tax raid.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces rebellion over his plan to increase NI contributions to raise an additional £10billion a year in tax revenue to pay for a social care overhaul.
Senior Conservatives, including the Chancellor and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, met at a reception for the 1922 committee of backbench MPs tonight as the Government faces a crisis over plans to break a manifesto pledge.
Mr Sunak reportedly warned of troubled times to come, telling the gathering it was 'fair to say that we've got a tough autumn ahead'.
He added: 'That doesn't mean there won't be disagreements, there always are, but we should never lose sight of the central fact that we are a team.'
Mr Sunak also stressed the importance of 'support and loyalty' to the PM, 'the leader of our party and the country'.
One observer said that Mr Johnson then spoke about the 'great triumphs' of the summer, including England's sporting success at the Euros and the Olympics, and suggested that if Sir Keir Starmer had been in charge the country would still be in lockdown.
They said the atmosphere was 'upbeat' with MPs glad to be back together in person, and following Michael Gove being spotted in an Aberdeen nightclub, they said the PM joked: 'We opened up the nightclubs then we sent our ministers out to enjoy them.'
It came after Boris Johnson on Monday announced a £5.4billion cash injection for the NHS for the next six months to help the health service clear the treatment backlog caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The extra money includes £1billion earmarked specifically to reduce backlogs and to deliver routine surgery.
Boris Johnson announced a £5.4billion cash injection for the NHS for the next six months to help the health service clear the treatment backlog caused by the coronavirus crisis
The PM has been locked in talks with Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) and signed off an immediate £5.4billion funding boost for the NHS to help it through the winter
The Government said the funding would take total Covid-19 support for the NHS to more than £34billion this year alone.
Health bosses had warned last week that the NHS will need approximately £10billion more a year in order to adapt to living with coronavirus.
Some £2.8billion of the additional money for the NHS will be allocated to cover costs relating to enhanced infection control measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Just shy of £500million will be spent on boosting the hospital discharge programme to free up more beds.
Mr Johnson said: 'The NHS was there for us during the pandemic - but treating Covid patients has created huge backlogs.
'This funding will go straight to the frontline, to provide more patients with the treatments they need but aren't getting quickly enough.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid admitted treatment waiting lists 'will get worse before they get better' but said
