PHILIP Hammond has told Theresa May to “butt out” of his Budget as relations collapse again between Britain’s most powerful duo.

In the Downing Street pair’s most recent clash, the Chancellor was left livid by the PM’s bid to raise the controversial plastic bag levy from 5p to 10p.

3 Philip Hammond told Theresa May to 'butt out' of his upcoming Budget Credit: Alamy Live News

Mrs May’s aides said last week she has already agreed to the rise, proposed by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

But Mr Hammond interrupted his holiday yesterday to insist no decision has been made.

Allies of the Chancellor also revealed that No10 has been given a blunt message by him to stop publicly dictating what should be in his annual economic blueprint for the nation.

A source close to Mr Hammond told The Sun: “Philip is insistent that it’s his Budget not hers, so her people should butt out.

3 The PM is currently on tour in Africa but relations between herself and the Chancellor have collapsed again

“She doesn’t write it, he does. And he will not take edicts from No10 like this.”

Posting a tweet during a week off yesterday, Mr Hammond instead insisted all options to tackle plastic pollution still “remain open and under active consideration”.

In a bid to demonstrate who was in charge of the nation’s purse strings, Mr Hammond added: “I will be saying more at the Budget about how we can use the tax system to meet this challenge”.

Mr Hammond is known to prefer giving companies tax incentives to change their behaviour rather than enforcing tax rises to hit struggling consumers in the pocket.

3 Philip Hammond recently disagreed with the PM's plans to double carrier bag charges Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Tensions between the PM and her Chancellor began to spiral again after their major dust up over Mrs May’s announcement of an extra £20bn a year for the NHS in June.

Mr Hammond was left “spitting” when No10 failed to properly consult him over the massive spending announcement or how it would be paid for.

The pair have also clashed over a no deal Brexit scenario, and how damaging it would be to the economy.

Relations between the duo plummeted to an all time low during last year’s general election campaign when Mrs May secretly plotted to sack Mr Hammond, and they couldn’t bare to be in same room as each other.

MOST READ IN POLITICS Latest LAST HURRAH Boozers hit the town before new lockdown in Leeds & Blackpool - is London next? Latest COVID SPREADING Sadiq Khan demands London household mixing BAN as city on covid watchlist CHIN-AID Britain spent £67.8million on 'overseas aid' for China last year furlough 2.0 Rishi announces furlough plan where workers get 77% pay for doing 1/3 hours THANK YOU, NEXT Next CEO warns risk of getting 'hooked' on furlough & job cuts 'inevitable' Latest 'PERILOUS POINT' PM warns stricter rules likely to last 6 MONTHS ruining Xmas for millions

But they agree to patch up their differences and to jointly oppose a hard Brexit.

One Downing Street insider added: “Relations are getting really bad again between them, and it’s becoming increasingly harder to hide it”.

No10 will unveil a consultation on the Government’s 25-year plan to tackle Britain’s “throwaway culture” later this week.

Theresa May refuses six times to say if Britain will better off after Brexit