Nadhim Zahawi looks set to secure a Cabinet role at the next reshuffle, with the junior minister thought to be the main candidate to succeed Gavin Williamson as Education Secretary.

       Multiple sources said they expected the vaccines minister to be promoted, following his successful handling of the national deployment of Covid jabs, with sources saying he was "popular and has done a great job".

       Mr Zahawi had been tipped to replace Matt Hancock when he quit as Health Secretary following the revelations that he had been conducting an affair in contravention to his own Covid restrictions.

       However, sources suggested he had been kept in place to avoid disrupting the “golden goose” vaccine programme, and “timing meant the Prime Minister wanted [Cabinet] experience”, which led to Sajid Javid being parachuted in.

       Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, is under most pressure after his handling of two chaotic school years during which he has been widely criticised.

       Amanda Milling, the Conservative party chairwoman, could be demoted after the historic loss of Chesham and Amersham in June and the failure to take Batley and Spen from Labour a month later.

       George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, is also thought to be at risk, in part owing to his stance over the Australia free trade deal, which caused a rift between him and some of his Cabinet colleagues.

       Mr Zahawi has been tipped to take the reins at the Department for Education, while Kemi Badenoch was named a possible candidate for party chairwoman.

       “A lot of Tory MPs want a more dynamic chair,” said a source. “They want a [James] Cleverly-type figure again who is out on the media, attacking Labour more.”

       Ms Badenoch, currently the equalities minister and exchequer secretary to the Treasury, is likely to be one of several of the more recent intake to get a promotion, with the Prime Minister said to be conscious that there are several MPs who joined Parliament in 2015 and 2017 who are “miffed” at their lack of career progression.

       Andrew Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and vice chairman of the Conservative Party, is also tipped for a new job.

       Like Mr Zahawi and Ms Badenoch, he is seen as an effective communicator who could take charge of the Scottish Office at a critical juncture in the fight to save the union.

       However, the date for the reshuffle appears to have slipped.

       The Telegraph understands that plans for Boris Johnson to carry it out before party conference season have been shelved and he is now looking towards the end of the year as a likely time.