Ben Wallace was in conversation with Jonn Sopel (Image: Future of Britain)
Ben Wallace has revealed that a major government reshuffle could happen as early as tomorrow and will at the latest take place in the first week of September as Rishi Sunak tries to rescue his government.
The Prime Minister is expected to wield the axe on many of his top team as the Tories continue to lag by 20 points in the polls.
A reshuffle in the next 24 hours could also help see off major criticism if the party loses all three safe seats up in by-elections on Thursday including Boris Johnson's former Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire and Somerton and Frome in Somerset.
Mr Wallace made the revelation at the Future of Britain conference organised by the Tony Blair Institute in an interview with former BBC journalist Jon Sopel.
He has already indicated he intends to step down from the government at the next reshuffle and retire from Parliament at the next election.
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Cabinet leaving their meeting this morning (Image: Getty)
Mr Wallace said: "I was told by a senior official that the reshuffle could be tomorrow."
But making it clear Mr Sunak intends to move quickly, he continue: "It will either be this week or the first week of September."
The Defence Secretary joked he could "sit in the audience" for the next conference he attends.
He also revealed Mr Sunak "worked very hard" to land him the NATO Secretary General position after it was clear that Holland's Mark Rutte did not want the job.
He notably refused to deny that Joe Biden had vetoed him for the role but added: "I am actually very close to the French".
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Sunak is on the verge of a major reshuffle (Image: Getty)
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According to the outgoing minister he had seen the minutes of the meetings where the Prime Minister had argued his case.
However, Mr Sunak's failure to land Mr Wallace the leading international role will add to concerns he does not carry enough weight globally.
The reshuffle is seen as a response to what many believe is a difficult set of results in the by-election with some Tory MPs already suggesting they should choose a new leader.
While it is unlikely Mr Sunak will face a vote of confidence in his leadership, there is a realisation he needs a relaunch and fresh faces in the Cabinet to try to relaunch his government and close the 20 point poll gap on Labour.
A government source has responded that "there will be no reshuffle tomorrow."
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