Senior Tories refuse to be drawn on claims Cabinet shake-up is looming

SENIOR Conservatives have refused to be drawn on reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning a major reshuffle and reorganisation of the Government.

With the UK’s departure from the European Union scheduled for the end of January, speculation at Westminster has focused on a major shake-up of Whitehall.

However, the Tory party’s chairman, James Cleverly, yesterday refused to confirm an anticipated Cabinet reshuffle would happen next month.

He said: “We already know that the Department for Exiting the European Union will be closing down. It has delivered on its mandate, the team there have done what has been asked of them, so there’s going to have to be a degree of reorganisation.

“I don’t know how extensive or otherwise any changes in Government will be.”

And International Development Secretary Alok Sharma also declined to comment on reports that his department could be merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

He told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “There has been a lot of discussion in the papers. I think those matters are ultimately for the Prime Minister.

“What is absolutely, vitally, important is that we work very closely together.”

He added: “In terms of development, if you look at the Conservative Party manifesto, it is very clear about the recognition of the value of the UK as a development super power.”

The Observer newspaper reported yesterday that Mr Johnson will warn Cabinet ministers they must focus on developing policies for post-Brexit Britain – or face the sack in a wide-ranging reshuffle within weeks.