Rishi Sunak – live: PM to replace Nadhim Zahawi in ‘mini cabinet reshuffle’
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Related: Keir Starmer grills Rishi Sunak on Nadhim Zahawi’s tax scandal
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Prime minister Rishi Sunak is expected to announce a mini reshuffle of his cabinet today including a replacement for Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi.
Mr Zahawi was 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.
Mr Sunak is also looking to break up the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy into separate ministries, according to a source aware of the discussions inside No 10.
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.
The morning cabinet meeting has been moved back to 10.30am, sources said.
Downing Street spokesperson have not confirmed the reports of a mini cabinet rejig.
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 did not deny the reports.
Sunak could break up Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Rishi Sunak is looking to split up Michelle Donelan’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and create culture and sport as their own standalone departments, The Sun reported.
Mr Sunak alternatively opt to make culture and sport one department, with a new ministry dedicated to science and digital, according to the paper.
“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,” a source said.
Rishi Sunak ‘plotting mini cabinet reshuffle’
Rishi Sunak is expected to unveil a mini-reshuffle today as he looks 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.
Andy Gregory reports here:
Good morning, welcome to our coverage of political developments in the UK on Tuesday, 7 February.
Source: independent.co.uk