Theresa May preparing to axe 'dead wood' ministers in New Year reshuffle
2 min read
Theresa May is reportedly preparing to remove "dead wood" ministers and promote rising Tory stars as she reshuffles her top team this week.
Justine Greening, Greg Clark and Andrea Leadsom are among those who could be sacked or demoted, according to reports in both the Sunday Times and the Sun on Sunday.
However it is thought that Boris Johnson, David Davis and Philip Hammond will all remain in their posts.
The Prime Minister is expected to appoint a new First Secretary of State to replace Damian Green, with Anne Milton and Philip Lee named as possible candidates.
Others tipped for a promotion are Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis and Justice Minister Dominic Raab.
Mr Lewis is being touted to replace Patrick McLoughlin in the key role of Conservative party chairman.
Both papers suggest backbenchers Seema Kennedy, Nusrat Ghani and Rishi Sunak could land ministerial roles, with the Prime Minister set to announce changes on Monday.
The Sunday Times also reports that arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg could be in line for his first government role, as could the chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee, Tom Tugendhat.
A government source told the paper Mrs May was aiming to "make sure the government reflects the modern and diverse country".
Meanwhile an unnamed minister told the Sun on Sunday the reshuffle would "show how emboldened she is".
“She is unlikely to touch the big beasts but the question is how far will she go below that," they said.
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