Kemi Badenoch is expected to carry out a major reshuffle which could see two big political names moved out of the shadow cabinet.
Speculation is mounting over the futures of shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel and shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride.
The Tory leader has been forced into an overhaul of her top team following the decision by Sir James Cleverly to run for London mayor and quit as shadow housing secretary.
Her close ally Julia Lopez is also shadowing a department which no longer exists after the Department for Science Innovation and Technology was scrapped by Andy Burnham – also prompting the need for a change.
Meanwhile, energy secretary Claire Coutinho is due to go on maternity leave and shadow solicitor general Helen Grant is stepping down at the next election.
There is widespread belief that Ms Badenoch – who once insisted she would not reshuffle her top team – will now take the opportunity to have an even bigger overhaul to take the party to the next election.
A number of senior figures have fallen out of favour and there are complaints that the party is still not landing enough blows in key areas. It is expected she will make the changes on Tuesday.
One source said: “The two names to look out for are [shadow foreign secretary] Priti [Patel] and [shadow chancellor] Mel [Stride]. Priti has become a fringe figure and is not really properly part of the team. And there is a feeling Kemi needs to have someone more robust running Treasury policy.”
Others have warned it would be a mistake to move Sir Mel, with one Tory MP saying he is “a perfect foil for Kemi and has actually done a pretty good job.”
If Sir Mel is moved, the favourite to replace him is shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith, while shadow home secretary Chris Philp could be handed the foreign affairs brief.
Dame Priti has been the focus of attacks from Reform and Labour because she was home secretary during the so-called “Boriswave” when immigration increased dramatically in the aftermath of Brexit.
But an ally of Dame Priti said: “Why would Kemi want to lose someone with serious experience in government?”
Scottish MP Andrew Bowie is expected to become shadow energy secretary after he led the charge on reopening drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.
He is likely to be replaced as shadow Scottish secretary by Harriet Cross, who is seen as a rising star.
Other names expected to be under consideration are rightwinger Katie Lam who has been described as a potential future leader,with some even suggesting she should be made shadow home secretary.
Another rightwinger, Jack Rankin, is also expected to land a shadow cabinet role.
Both Mr Rankin and Ms Lam had previously been held under suspicion as potential defectors to Reform UK but both remained loyal after Robert Jenrick went to Nigel Farage’s party.
Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore is being named as someone who could take over shadowing the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs.
One source said: “Robbie has done a lot of work on the inheritance tax debacle with Labour on family farms. He is a farmer and knows the brief inside out.”
Other areas to look out for are shadow welfare secretary currently held by Helen Whately and shadow health held by Stuart Andrew.
One source said: “Welfare is going to continue to be a big area of weakness for Labour because they need to cut the benefits bill but their MPs oppose any reductions.”
Another noted: “We have still not made any serious challenge to Labour on health even though they are failing on a number of fronts.”
