Rishi Sunak ‘could trigger reshuffle’ immediately after Tory by-elections meltdown this week as ministers openly pitch to replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary

Westminster is braced for Rishi Sunak to trigger a reshuffle immediately after a predicted by-election meltdown this week.

Tories are expecting the PM to make changes to his team on Friday – as he seeks to move on swiftly from what are likely to be grim results.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced last week that he will be standing down from the Commons at the next election, adding an incentive for Mr Sunak to act sooner rather than later.

Other ministers have been openly pitching for the key job, with Anne-Marie Trevelyan saying it would be a ‘privilege to serve’.

Mr Sunak held a political Cabinet session after the usual regular weekly meeting this morning.   

Senior Conservatives suggested that Mr Sunak would want to overhaul his line-up before MPs scatter for Parliament’s summer recess. 

And newly-appointed ministers would ideally require time to prepare for the party conference in October.

Tories are expecting Rishi Sunak to make changes to his team on Friday – as he seeks to move on swiftly from what are likely to be grim results

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured arriving for Cabinet today) announced last week that he will be standing down from the Commons at the next election, adding an incentive for Mr Sunak to act sooner rather than later

Penny Mordaunt, Lord True and Chloe Smith arrive for Cabinet today 

Other ministers have been openly pitching for the key Defence job, with Anne-Marie Trevelyan saying it would be a ‘privilege to serve’

One source told MailOnline: ‘It feels like it is happening. People are expecting it. 

‘If you have got to replace Wallace it means you move a few around… I don’t think it is going to be the night of the long knives.’ 

The Tories are braced to lose all three by-elections on Thursday, while Mr Sunak has suffered setbacks in achieving the ‘five pledges’ he set out at the start of the year.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats are hoping to inflict blows in Uxbridge & South Ruislip in west London, Selby & Ainsty in North Yorkshire, and Somerton & Frome in Somerset.

It comes amid a difficult economic outlook, with households struggling with high inflation and rising interest rates. 

The Uxbridge and Selby polls were triggered amid the fallout of Boris Johnson’s reaction to the privileges committee probe and the row over his resignation honours list.

Former prime minister Mr Johnson had held the Uxbridge seat since 2015, securing it with a 7,000 majority at the last general election in 2019. 

Labour candidate Danny Beales is vying to become the area’s next MP but the Tories are seizing on a row over Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) scheme, which is being expanded to cover all of Greater London in August.

Speculation has been swirling over who could replace Mr Wallace since he announced his departure – having been apparently blocked by the US from becoming the next head of Nato.

There have been suggestions that Foreign Secretary James Cleverly could be shifted, although that would inevitably be seen as a demotion.

Penny Mordaunt has also been widely touted for the role. 

Ms Trevelyan responded to a Twitter user saying supporting her for the job yesterday, saying: ‘It would be a privilege to serve. I have every confidence that @RishiSunak will choose the right person to make sure @DefenceHQ can continue to deliver our vital commitments to @NATO and the #IndoPacific in these contested times.’

Labour has been enjoying double-digit leads in the polls ahead of the by-elections

Gillian Keegan (left) and Suella Braverman (right) were both at Cabinet this morning 

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