Rishi Sunak eyes Cabinet reshuffle as Tories fear by-election drubbing

20 July 2023 , 17:19

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Rishi Sunak is hoping to revive his party's flagging fortunes (Image: AP)

Rishi Sunak is poised to reshuffle his top team as he desperately attempts to reboot his flagging premiership.

Ministers are braced for a Cabinet shake-up as the Prime Minister seeks to turn around the Tories' dire poll ratings in the run up to the next election.

It comes as Mr Sunak faces a bruising night at the polls as voters deliver their verdict in three crunch by-elections. Gloomy Tories have been predicting they could lose all three - which has not happened to a sitting PM since 1968.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has already said he will quit Cabinet at the next reshuffle, prompting Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to publicly beg to "stay put" in his job while addressing a security conference in the US on Wednesday.

His highly unusual public comments intensified speculation of an imminent shake-up.

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Demob-happy Mr Wallace, who intends to step down as an MP at the next election, also fuelled suspicions earlier this week that a reshuffle was looming. He said: “It depends who you talk to at the top of Government. I spoke to one very senior member of the civil service who said it is definitely happening this week."

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he would step down at the next reshuffle (Wiktor Szymanowicz/REX/Shutterstock)

Downing Street said there were "no plans for a reshuffle" but the Mirror understands that civil servants in some departments have been advised to be prepared.

The PM was given a boost by better than expected inflation figures on Wednesday but he is still failing to deliver on his five pledges, which include halving price rises and stopping migrants arriving in the UK in small boats.

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The Tory seats of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Selby and Ainsty, and Somerton and Frome are up for grabs in a trio of by-elections.

Contests were held on Thursday to replace disgraced ex-PM Boris Johnson and his ally Nigel Adams, who both quit after a row over Mr Johnson’s resignation honours.

Voters will also replace David Warburton, who resigned after admitting cocaine use amid allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies.

Meanwhile, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt announced that King Charles will make his first King’s Speech address to Parliament on November 7.

The speech offers Mr Sunak the chance to set out his priorities ahead of a general election.

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