Conservative MP Liz Truss will wield the axe if she becomes Prime Minister and cull a number of big Tory names from the cabinet – including Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Patel, whose tenure has been marked by a number of controversies, has responsibility for many of the UK’s security arrangements and could be shown the door, according to reports.

The leadership race is now reaching its conclusion and will be announced on September 5.

MP Truss will also boot out Dominic Raab, the current deputy Prime Minister, along with health secretary Steve Barclay, George Eustice, the environment secretary, and Mark Spencer, the leader of the House of Commons, according to The Telegraph.

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, her rival in the race for Number 10 to replace Boris Johnson, will also not be invited into her new cabinet.

Michael Gove, who has announced he was quitting frontline politics, would be exiled to the backbenches.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps’ future is also in doubt.

Truss will replace the 15 ministers expected to be ditched from the front bench with loyalists and rising stars such as Kemi Badenoch if she is able to beat her rival Mr Sunak in the race to No 10 in September.