Michael Gove tipped for job swap with Dominic Raab after beach holiday scandal

MICHAEL Gove is being lined up for a job swap with embattled Dominic Raab.

Sources say he has been eyeing the switch since the Foreign Secretary was accused of defying calls to return from his beach holiday as Kabul fell to the Taliban.

Mr Gove was previously tipped to replace Priti Patel as Home SecretaryDominic Raab recently came under fire when he declined to fly home from his holiday abroad during the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

Boris Johnson is also said to be attracted to the idea as he could sell it to Mr Raab that he will become his de facto deputy by taking on the Cabinet Office minister role.

And it would send ambitious Mr Gove on overseas assignments — preventing him from plotting in Westminster.

The PM has decided to move Mr Raab in a reshuffle earmarked for early next year.

A government source said: “After his handling of the Afghan crisis, Dominic Raab has about as much chance of being in a top four position by next spring as Arsenal.”

Mr Gove — previously tipped to replace Priti Patel as Home Secretary — sabotaged Mr Johnson’s first leadership challenge in 2016, but they have since buried the hatchet.

The pair were seen out riding bikes during a party at Chequers earlier this month.