PM Rishi Sunak set to announce Cabinet mini-shuffle 

The government is expected to announce a Cabinet mini-shuffle this morning, with some new names in senior roles. 

The weekly cabinet meeting has been pushed back an hour and will instead take place at 10:30 GMT. 

PM Rishi Sunak has been searching for a new party chairman for over a week, after sacking Nadhim Zahawi. 

The BBC says a source told them they expected Trade Minister Greg Hands to take over the role. 

What to expect from the mini-shuffle? 

There’s been talk of a reshuffle for the last few days – initially dismissed by those around the PM. But now both The Sun and the Times are reporting upcoming changes and Downing Street is refusing to comment. 

This morning’s mini-shuffle is expected to see the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be broken up, with a new department created for energy specifically. 

The Department of Culture, Media, Digital and Sport is also anticipating change. Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan is expected to take maternity leave this spring.

The BBC reported that there was some fury in Whitehall about what was seen as the PM’s failure to tell his colleagues and the civil service before it was reported by journalists. 

“There are a bunch of civil servants going to bed not knowing which department they’re going to be working for in the morning,” one source told the BBC on Monday night.

“Surely they should have the courtesy of telling us first.”