Dominic Raab has insisted there won't be a vote by Conservative MPs on Boris Johnson's future next week.
The Deputy Prime Minister hit back at reports that Johnson could face a vote of no confidence in his leadership following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
It comes after more Tory MPs submitted letters to the 1922 Committee saying they have no confidence in him. The threshold for a vote is 54.
A total of 41 have called for the PM to go, while former Cabinet Minister Andrea Leadsom criticised Johnson but stopped short of saying he should quit.
Raab was asked on Sky News if there will be a vote next week.
He replied: "No. I think the Westminster bubble, village, whips this stuff up and I'm not saying it's not serious and significant but we dealt with all those issues, the prime minister has dealt with all those issues.
"It does feel like a lot of commentary building up this issue when actually, when I talk to MPs and across the House of Commons on the issues I'm taking forward... they want to see us driving forward that agenda.
"To be honest, votes of no confidence, leadership contests, all of that is yet more of Westminster talking to itself, not talking to the public, our constituents and the vast majority of MPs respect, recognise and agree with that."
Raab also said he believes the number of no confidence letters is "pretty far off" the required amount needed to trigger a confidence vote.
Speaking to Times Radio, Raab added: "First of all, you said that there were 30 MPs who have been public (in their criticism of the Prime Minister ). There's of course well over 350-odd Conservative MPs."
Presenter Aasmah Mir responded: "Well you need to get to 54, so it's not that far off, is it?"
Raab said: "Well, if you're at 30, which is what you've just said, I think you're pretty far off, but my point is even then, in terms of the support for the PM, the overwhelming majority have not been public about these kind of criticisms.
"Although in fairness, I want to say I understand the frustrations and the concerns."
Raab said questions around whether the Prime Minister had broken the ministerial code "have been answered".
Outlining why he believes Johnson has not broken the ministerial code, Raab told Sky News: "Lord Geidt raised that issue and the PM has responded to the letter and he's been clear that in relation to the single fixed penalty notice he hadn't intentionally broken the law and his attendance at that gathering, as has been well rehearsed, was inadvertent.
"So Lord Geidt is really important, he is a senior figure. We've actually been working for months to reinforce his role, that's been done by agreement between No 10 and Lord Geidt, but actually I think those questions have been answered, both in general but also now specifically in the letter the PM has sent and, as I said, we're getting on with the job."
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