Ministers warned major cabinet shake-up is looming after Brexit day

The Sunday Telegraph reports a Number 10 source saying that Boris Johnson intends to “reward competence and hard work”.

The same source criticised some ministers who toured television and radio studios to boost their own profiles.

The Sun reports that those who could lose their jobs include business secretary Andrea Leadsom, trade secretary Liz Truss, environment secretary Theresa Viliers and work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey.

The newspaper says with just seven women in cabinet sacking four wold not be a good look.

But they add: “He’s got his sights on a number of senior females but there are very few who can replace them. One option would be to promote a lot of women into junior ministerial ranks.”

Senior Tories have refused to be drawn on reports of a reorganisation of government.

Tory party chairman James Cleverly refused to confirm an anticipated cabinet reshuffle would happen next month.

He said: “We already know that the Department for Exiting the European Union will be closing down, it has delivered on its mandate, the team there have done what has been asked of them, so there’s going to have to be a degree of reorganisation.

“I don’t know how extensive or otherwise any changes in Government will be.”

And international development secretary Alok Sharma declined to comment on reports that his department could be merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

He told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “There has been a lot of discussion in the papers. I think those matters are ultimately for the Prime Minister.

“What is absolutely, vitally, important is that we work very closely together.”

He added: “In terms of development, if you look at the Conservative Party manifesto, it is very clear about the recognition of the value of the UK as a development super power.”