Mini Reshuffle Could Be Underway With Chief Whip, Commons Leader Hinted At

Wires and social media filled with speculation that Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be about to engage in a mini reshuffle of his Cabinet in an effort to provide a boost to his under-fire premiership.

• Chief Whip Mark Spencer and Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg are the two individuals named as the most likely to be moved on from their current offices.
• Both men were seen as key players in the scandal surrounding failed efforts to change parliament's disciplinary process in late 2021 to protect then-Conservative MP Owen Paterson. Among many Conservative MPs, the incident is seen as lighting the touch-paper to other scandals that now sees the party trail Labour by double-digit margins in opinion polls.
• BBC's Laura Kuenssberg tweets: "Likely candidates for Chief Whip - Nigel Adams, Chris Heaton Harris or Chris Pincher - Mogg touted for a Brexit related role - let’s see what next couple of hours brings"
• Remains to be seen whether these moves will placate party colleagues enough to avoid a leadership contest being launched against Johnson.