Health warning for Andrew Lansley as David Cameron plans early reshuffle

The Prime Minister is being urged by senior ministers and advisers to hand over the Department of Health to the Lib Dems in what would be a bold political move.

In return, senior Tories are pressing for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) - currently run by Vince Cable - to be led by a Conservative. This would, they argue, prevent the coalition effectively running two differing economic strategies.

Mr Cable, however, would be highly unlikely to relinquish his business brief without a fight. A major government shake-up is fraught with difficulty for the Prime Minister as Nick Clegg, his Lib Dem deputy, would have to agree to any changes affecting ministers from his own party.

Some Lib Dems would be likely to urge Mr Clegg not to accept what might look like a prize in the shape of the health department - because Mr Lansleys successor would have such a tricky task bedding in the reforms to the NHS in England, which include a bigger role for private sector companies.

The Lib Dems might also try to save Mr Clarke, who unlike most of his party takes a pro-Brussels stance and has also been accused of attempting to scupper the Prime Ministers reform agenda over replacing the Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights.

Mr Clarke has been dubbed, tongue in cheek, the sixth Lib Dem in the cabinet - after Mr Clegg, Mr Cable, Danny Alexander, the Treasury Chief Secretary, Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, and Michael Moore, the Scottish Secretary.

Up until now, the only Cabinet-level changes have solely affected one party. In May 2010, Mr Laws was replaced at the Treasury by Mr Alexander after facing censure over his taxpayer-funded expenses, while last month Chris Huhne quit as energy secretary to fight a charge of perverting the course of justice over a speeding offence. He was replaced by Mr Davey.

When Liam Fox quit as defence secretary last year in the wake of a row over his controversial links with his former adviser, Adam Werritty, his replacement was another Tory, Philip Hammond, in a move which saw Justine Greening enter the cabinet as Transport Secretary.

Many MPs on the Tory Right would like to see Mr Cameron use the opportunity to promote Chris Grayling into the cabinet. Mr Grayling, who is thought to be doing an effective job as employment minister, was shadow home secretary before the last general election.

Some Conservatives are privately encouraging the Prime Minister to replace Sayeeda Warsi as Tory chairman - possibly with Grant Shapps, currently the Housing Minister. However, they acknowledge that

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Health warning for Andrew Lansley as David Cameron plans early reshuffle