Boris Johnson defends his actions over Matt Hancock.

Taking aim at Sir Keir Starmer’s botched shadow cabinet reshuffle last month, he says while he replaced Mr Hancock, the Labour leader had failed in his attempts to remove Angela Rayner.

The Labour leader says: “The Prime Minister must be the only person in the country who looked at that photo and thought that the health secretary shouldn’t be sacked immediately.

“On Friday the PM’s spokesperson said ‘the PM considers the matter closed’.

“Minister after minister were then sent out to defend the indefensible.”

The Prime Minister hits back: “The health secretary has changed in the past five days.

“He complains about the speed. This Government moves at positively lightning speed in comparison to the Right Honourable Member who spent three days trying and failing to sack his deputy leader, who he then promoted. He fires and rehires!”