Cabinet reshuffle rumours swirl around Westminster
Rumours continue to swirl that Boris Johnson will oversee a cabinet reshuffle tomorrow, despite Number 10’s comments that there are “no plans” for one.
The Prime Minister has cleared his diary tomorrow, after a quick House of Commons vote today on the government’s National Insurance and dividends tax increases.
The Times reports today that Johnson is still considering whether or not to do a reshuffle this month and that tomorrow was still an option on the table.
The paper speculates that Gavin Williamson, Priti Patel and Dominic Raab are all set for demotions or to be sacked.
Raab is under pressure due to his handling of the Afghanistan crisis, while Patel has been criticised for the increasing number of illegal Channel crossings.
Williamson has overseen a series of crises in the Department for Education, including last year’s A-levels fiasco.
International trade secretary Liz Truss is among those tipped for promotion, with speculation she could be moved to the Foreign Office.
Michael Gove could also be moved from the Cabinet Office to one of the great offices of state if Patel and Raab are demoted.
One junior minister described Gove as a problem solver similar to John Reid who held a series of top posts in Tony Blair’s cabinet in problematic departments.
He could be moved to the Home Office to help solve the growing number of arrivals by boat of asylum seekers.
Johnson’s official spokesman told journalists repeatedly on Monday that “we have no plans for a reshuffle”.
The Prime Minister also refused on three occasions yesterday to answer whether he would reshuffle his top team this week.
It has been suggested that the reshuffle rumours were a ploy to keep potentially rebellious cabinet ministers in line for yesterday’s tax increases, after early reported dissent.