Rishi Sunak is expected to unveil a mini-reshuffle as early as Tuesday as he tries to improve his party’s disastrous poll ratings, as well as replace the sacked Nadhim Zahawi.
It has been a week since the prime minister dismissed Mr Zahawi as Tory party chair for breaching the ministerial code over his tax affairs scandal and, with no successor having yet been named, reports suggest Mr Sunak has been plotting a broader shake-up of his top team.
The overhaul could potentially stretch to include the makeup of the government itself, amid fresh claims that the PM is considering breaking up the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy into separate ministries.
Describing plans for a “100-day reshuffle”, The Sun cited Whitehall insiders as it claimed that Mr Sunak could create a new energy department, with business and trade merged.
While Michelle Donelan’s department currently oversees digital, culture, media and sport, Mr Sunak could also opt to make culture and sport a standalone office, with a new ministry dedicated to science and digital, according to the paper.
A source told the outlet: “The focus is making government work better but in reality, it leaves senior ministers looking over their shoulder and leaves a big question over the future of [Dominic] Raab who faces a bullying inquiry.”
Steven Swinford, the political editor of The Times, reported that Mr Raab is “expected to survive tomorrow’s reshuffle”, while also suggesting structural changes that “reflect [Mr Sunak’s] priorities” could be looming at the business and culture departments.
Such sweeping alterations could significantly alter the lineup in Mr Sunak’s cabinet, and another source told The Sun that they would “put a lot of noses out of joint”, creating “winners and losers all over the place with some very upset egos”.
The Independent has approached No 10 for a response to the reshuffle claims, while The Daily Telegraph stated that members of Mr Sunak’s press team had not denied them.
With last week marking the 100-day anniversary of Mr Sunak’s vow on the steps of No 10 to lead a government of “integrity”, pressure intensified on the prime minister to replace his deputy, Mr Raab, as bullying allegations mounted against the justice secretary, who strenuously denies the claims.
Mr Zahawi became the second of Mr Sunak’s ministers to leave his post, more than six months after The Independent first revealed details of an HMRC investigation into his tax affairs.
His exit followed Sir Gavin Williamson’s resignation in November as the minister without portfolio sought to “clear my name of any wrongdoing” over bullying allegations.
Fresh Savanta ComRes polling for The Independent reported at the weekend found that more than one-third of Conservative voters view the Tories as “the party of sleaze” – with just 11 per cent viewing Mr Sunak’s party as “moral”.
A poll by Ipsos a week earlier gave Labour a 25-point lead over the Tories, with Sir Keir Starmer’s party leading Mr Sunak’s by 51 points to 26.
