When might a cabinet reshuffle happen and who could be sacked or promoted?

A major rejig of ministerial posts may be delayed, writes John Rentoul, but who would be the likely winners and losers?

Suella Braverman might be keen to avoid going down with the current cabinet at the next election (Getty/PA)

Rishi Sunak is expected to delay a full cabinet reshuffle until the winter, and to make only minor changes in the next few days. It is reported in The Times that he is considering replacing Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, before the House of Commons returns from its summer recess on 4 September, but that more sweeping changes will wait until after the party conferences in October – or even after the King’s Speech on 7 November.

John Glen, the chief secretary to the Treasury and a strong supporter of the prime minister, is the favourite to succeed Wallace, who has said he will leave parliament at the next election. Claire Coutinho, a junior education minister, is widely believed to be in line for promotion to his job – even though she is only a parliamentary under-secretary of state. Cabinet ministers are usually chosen from the ranks of ministers of state, the next rung down from cabinet level. She too is a conspicuous Rishi loyalist.

These minimal changes may allow a backbencher such as Laura Farris, the MP for Newbury who made a striking speech defending the privileges committee over its inquiry into Boris Johnson, to join the government.