Former nurse Anne Milton has been tipped to replace Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary when Theresa May reshuffles the Cabinet tomorrow.
The Prime Minister is set to make her long-awaited shake up as a government source said she will be promoting more women from ‘non-white backgrounds’.
As many as six changes could be made and Education Secretary Justine Greening is said to face a demotion or being sacked amid claims the PM finds her ‘patronising’.
The changes will be made because Mrs May is worried voters see ‘stale, male and pale Ministers on the wrong side of 50’ in her government, according to sources.
Mrs May confirmed this morning changes to replace Damian Green – who quit amid a sleaze scandal just before Christmas – in a major interview with Andrew Marr.
Anne Milton (right) worked as a district nurse for the NHS for 25 years (left) and is now tipped to be the new Health Secretary
Theresa May told the BBC’s Andrew Marr today (pictured) the reshuffle would be ‘soon’ but refused to comment on the changes she would make
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling (right) have both been linked to the deputy prime minister post left empty by Damian Green’s resignation
Justine Greening faces being demoted or sacked from Education Secretary amid claims Mrs May finds her ‘patronising’
Mr Hunt, the longest ever serving health secretary, is said to be favourite to take over as First Secretary of State.
His replacement is likely to be Ms Milton, 62, the MP for Guildford, who worked as a district nurse for the NHS for 25 years.
Meanwhile, The future of Tory chairman Patrick McLoughlin, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom and Business Secretary Greg Clark is also in doubt.
But government sources said the Prime Minister was not intending to move any of the ‘big four’ – Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd or Brexit Secretary David Davis.
Mrs May is set to promote MPs from the junior ranks of government into the Cabinet while giving younger politicians a place on the lower rungs of the ladder.
Former nurse Anne Milton, currently the Skills Minister, is tipped as the next Health Secretary, while junior justice minister Dominic Raab has also been earmarked for promotion.
MPs first elected in 2015, such as James Cleverly, Suella Fernandes, Nusrat Ghani and Rishi Sunak could be given ministerial jobs for the first time.
The ministerial reshuffle, which Mrs May is expected to start tomorrow, is likely to hand eye-catching promotions to women and MPs from non-traditional backgrounds as the Prime Minister tries to build a Government ‘more in the image of the country’.
The source said: ‘Theresa understands that, when voters look at her Government, they see a lot of stale, male and pale Ministers who are the wrong side of 50.
‘She will be promoting more women and those from non-white backgrounds, and there will be more of an emphasis on youth.’
The PM told Marr today: ‘Well, it’s no prizes for guessing, Andrew, that obviously Damian Green’s departure before Christmas means that some changes do have to be made and I will be making some changes.
‘But much though you would love me to talk about the reshuffle in detail here on the BBC, I’m afraid I won’t be doing that.’
Former NHS nurse Anne Milton has been tipped to take over from Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary while junior Justice Minister Dominic Raab is also set for advancement
Theresa May (pictured in Maidenhead today) is thought to be putting the finishing touches to her reshuffle today
As she parepares her resahuffle, Mrs May said she will carry on as Prime Minister for ‘as long as people want me to serve’.
The Prime Minister confirmed that she wanted to lead the Conservatives into the next general election – due to take place in 2022 – saying: ‘I’m not a quitter. I’m in this for the long term.’
But pressed by Marr on whether she would still be there the next time the country goes to the polls, she replied: ‘Obviously I serve as long as people want me to serve.’
According to the Sunday Telegraph, Ms Greening was said to be ‘fighting for her job’ and would resist any attempts to reshuffle her, posting a series of tweets highlighting her record as Education Secretary.
Sources told the Sunday Times Mrs May is annoyed by Ms Greening’s ‘patronising’ tone and reports of her sacking come after she was slammed by Nick Timothy, Mrs May’s ex chief of staff.
Private polling has revealed that Tories poor showing in last year’s general election was down to concerns among voters about education, the paper reported, and a new minister would send the message the Conservatives are the party of education.
Last night, the Prime Minister was urged to re-energise her party by allowing members to directly elect the chairman.
Grant Shapps, who was party chairman under David Cameron, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘We are the only party that does not directly elect their party chairman or president. Doing so would provide our members with a compelling reason to belong.’
He added: ‘A combination of reasonable mid-Brexit negotiations, lack of obvious alternative and May’s dogged determination has given this Prime Minister the opportunity to make a fresh start in 2018.
‘Regardless of who leads us into the next Election, it is very much the duty of today’s leader to pay attention to fixing our rusty party machine.’
Mrs May will confirm today that she is abandoning plans to give MPs a vote on bringing back foxhunting after it proved to be a vote-loser at the General Election.
Brexit Secretary David Davis is one of the ‘big four’ ministers who is set to keep their jobs
The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Chancellor Philip Hammond are also expected to keep their jobs is not moving from his post in the reshuffle
Home Secretary Amber Rudd is also set to stay put in the reshuffle, reports suggest