Keir Starmer is reshuffling his top team today with his deputy Angela Rayner shifted to the Levelling Up brief.
The Labour leader has started overhauling his shadow cabinet as Parliament returns from its summer recess and his new chief of staff Sue Gray starts work.
Rumours have been circulating for months about personnel changes, with the Labour leader gearing up for the general election due next year.
The surgery is already looking more dramatic than the ‘mini-shuffle’ conducted by Rishi Sunak last week, when he installed Grant Shapps as Defence Secretary after the departure of Ben Wallace.
Ms Rayner, with whom Sir Keir has sometimes had a fraught relationship, has agreed to be removed from her Cabinet Office beat, where she has been directly shadowing deputy PM Oliver Dowden.
She will take the Levelling Up post from Lisa Nandy, which includes the key issue of housing. Ms Nandy’s fate is not yet clear.
Crucially Ms Rayner has also formally been named shadow deputy PM, suggesting she will get the title should Labour win powr.
Although Ms Rayner cannot be removed as deputy leader – having been directly elected by the party – allies have been warning against any bid to sideline her.
Meanwhile, shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon has announced he is standing down, citing personal reasons.
Keir Starmer is bracing to reshuffle his top team today with his deputy Angela Rayner expected to be shifted
All eyes will be on the fate of Ms Rayner, with whom Sir Keir has sometimes had a fraught relationship (pictured together campaigning in Selby)
With Labour enjoying consistent double-digit poll leads, new chief of staff Sue Gray is being tasked with preparing to implement flagship policies in government
Sir Keir is not expected to make radical changes to the biggest jobs, with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper seen as safe.
Shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband’s position also seems to have firmed up despite persistent briefing that he was at risk.
Partygate investigator Ms Gray, who controversially left the civil service to become Sir Keir’s chief of staff, is expected formally to take on her new role on Monday.
The former mandarin has been waiting for the end of a six-month cooling off period after exiting Whitehall.
With Labour enjoying consistent double-digit poll leads, Ms Gray is being tasked with preparing to implement flagship policies in government.
As tensions surfaced over the reshuffle rumours at the weekend, one Rayner ally told The Sun On Sunday: ‘Some people are out to put her back in her box.’
They added: ‘They might try to strike us down and find us more powerful than before.’
Some expect the Prime Minister to carry out a wider Government reshuffle in the coming months.
It comes as both leaders gear up for annual party conference season in October and look to getting their top teams in shape for the next general election.
Partygate investigator Sue Gray, who controversially left the civil service to become Sir Keir’s chief of staff, is expected formally to start her new role today
There could be bad news for Lisa Nandy, whose Levelling Up portfolio looks a likely option, partly because it includes the key issue of housing