As we go in to recess, the reshuffle drum is reverberating louder and louder. Ben Wallace is out – his public line being he’s done his bit after 24 years in politics. He’s split from his wife, the boundary changes have wiped out his seat, he detests the PM and he didn’t get the NATO job. As the Tories head for opposition, who can blame him for wanting to spend more lucrative time with defence contractors. Which means there are going to be Defence Secretary manoeuvres…

Guido thinks commentators suggesting Rishi should move James Cleverly from the Foreign Office to the Ministry of Defence are foolish to think there is a political, government or party problem to which the strategic answer is realistically moving Cleverly out of the Foreign Office. He’s been in the building for 3 years, with 11 months as Foreign Secretary. He’s proved his value and capability and has shown he is a steady pair of hands and has built the kind of strategic personal relationships that really count at the top diplomatic tables. He even has a character role in Netflix’s “The Diplomat”.

Nobody obvious could realistically do a better job at the Foreign Office, there are however two people who could feasibly, and in fact probably, do a good job at Defence; Tom Tugendhat and Penny Mordaunt. There is one of course who’s done it before… and can carry a sword…