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The Prime Minister has explosively described the deadly coronavirus pandemic as a "massive opportunity" that his party can take advantage of.
Boris Johnson said that the Conservatives would use the fall out of the crisis to "short-circuit" the country and impose a right-wing agenda of tax cuts and reduced support for the unemployed.
And he urged activists to keep the faith as he promised that he would slash taxes as soon as the Spring.
Speaking at a Q&A session at Conservative conference on Sunday, he said: "We have a massive opportunity now to use this unquestionable crisis, I mean it's been a huge thing for our country, to build back better."
He added: "Covid has illuminated all sorts of problems we have in productivity, in getting things done, in the way Government works.
"Well, we can short-circuit some of these things, we can get them done faster.
"So let's do everything we can now to maximise the potential of the country.
"It has been a very very difficult time but come the spring the opportunity will be massive."
Mr Johnson also revealed that the Conservatives current approach of financial support for those who are facing unemployment and economic hardship because of the pandemic.
Mr Johnson said: "On the Left, there are forces saying we must keep furlough going forever, we must keep paying people, the state must get bigger and bigger.
"And it will be up to us to say it is not for the state to preempt virtually half the wealth and spend it on behalf of people because that is not the government's job.
He added: "When this thing is done you see the political arguments really sharpening up and we will have a massive opportunity to take the country aboard and to build back better. "
He went on: "And it will be a tax-cutting agenda as well. I can't preempt anything the Chancellor says or does, but that is where we want to go."
The comments are an embarrassment for the Government, who are this week holding their annual party conference online.
Mr Johnson this week is desperately trying to prove to the nation that his Government's shambolic handling of the crisis hasn't seeded the second wave of the pandemic, ushering in winter of misery for the UK.
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner slammed the PM for using the crisis as a chance to push Tory dogma.
She told the Mirror: “It shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is that he would see this crisis as an opportunity to accelerate a Tory approach that has held our country back.
“We cannot let Boris Johnson take us back to 1980s-style levels of unemployment, and forcing people on the lowest incomes in the North and the Midlands to pay the highest price."
Bagners on October 6th, 2020 at 11:20 UTC »
Unemployed people receive £70 per week. How much lower can it go?
PENISENISNISISS on October 6th, 2020 at 10:48 UTC »
A few times lately I’ve heard an argument that the last ~80 years of liberal progression was not the beginning of a trend but instead was merely a reaction to the horror of two world wars. It’s starting to make more sense every day.
djorankeil on October 6th, 2020 at 10:18 UTC »
What a coincidence; that's exactly what the Coalition (conservative alliance) government in Australia just did with their budget announcement tonight.