Boris Johnson forced to crush rumours about his health as MPs 'start writing no-confidence letters'

The premier's shambolic speech at the CBI conference - during which he lost his thread and went on a rambling tangent about Peppa Pig World has fuelled growing frustration and health concerns.

No10 was forced to insist the PM is 'well' following his CBI Peppa Pig meltdown.

Amid rising Tory unrest, Treasury sources have hit out at Mr Johnson for 'blowing' announcements including a huge £96billion rail upgrade in the same CBI speech.

The bruising swipe came after senior Conservatives vented fury at a series of bungles, demanding he brings in experienced big beasts to sharpen up his 'f****** awful' Downing Street team.

There are even claims that some MPs have started sending no-confidence letters to the chair of the powerful 1922 committee Sir Graham Brady - although there is no immediate prospect of reaching the threshold for triggering a contest.

Some 19 MPs rebelled to vote against watering down the social care cap earlier this week, while dozens more abstained. The sleaze row is still festering and damaging the party in the polls, while the decision to downgrade plans for HS2 links and Northern Powerhouse rail strained relations with Tories in crucial Red Wall seats.

A Treasury source told the Guardian the Integrated Rail Package had been a disaster partly because of the timing and 'more care' was needed before making promises.

'In the end what happened was that we blew a £96bn announcement that really should have been a lot more positive,' they said.

But a No10 source hit back: 'I'm not really sure how moving a date on the calendar would have made a substantive difference.'

Mr Johnson faced an important test today in PMQs in the House of Commons. As Keir Starmer pressed the Prime Minister one more time on whether he has done what he promised to ensure that nobody would have to sell their home to pay for care.

Asked yesterday whether the premier - who has been suffering a heavy cold - is in good health, his spokesman said: 'The prime minister is well and he is focused on delivering for the public.'