Reshuffle could spell the end of two jobs for Defence Secretary Des Browne

Defence Secretary Des Browne could be stripped of one of his two ministerial positions amid increasing complaints from senior military figures that he is not up to the job.

Under a plan being considered in Downing Street, the Prime Minister would axe the 'two jobs' deal for Mr Browne, in which he doubles as Scottish Secretary, in a Cabinet reshuffle next month.

The changes are expected to follow May's local elections and will be part of Gordon Brown's bid to reassert his political authority.

Last night the Prime Minister's crisis deepened even further as the Tories secured their highest opinion poll rating for 16 years.

A YouGov survey for The Sunday Times put them on 44 per cent, with Labour on 28 and the Liberal Democrats on 17.

And Mr Brown's personal rating has plummeted from a peak of plus 48 in September to minus 37. Voters indicated that they would prefer to vote Labour if Tony Blair was still leader.

Mr Browne's 'two jobs' arrangement has been condemned by five former Chiefs of the Defence Staff as an 'insult' to British Forces while they are under intense pressure in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The PM's reshuffle could see the Scottish Secretary's job being absorbed into a new Cabinet post of Secretary of State for Nations and the English Regions.

Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward is tipped for the job.

The new role would fit with Mr Brown's personal political crusade to boost Britishness and protect the integrity of the Union.

It would also require the appointment of junior ministers for each of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, plus a Minister for the English regions.

He or she would report to Hazel Blears, the Local Government Secretary, and be given the task of 'reducing income inequalities across England'.

A reshuffle would give Mr Brown the opportunity to move his embattled Chancellor, Alistair Darling.

But it is thought that sacrificing such a senior Minister so soon after appointing him, and one so closely associated with Mr Brown's policy failures, would look too cynical.

Ministers believed to be vulnerable include Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, while those tipped for promotion include Rhondda MP Chris Bryant and Brent South MP and former Ken Livingstone aide Dawn Butler.

The pressure on Mr Browne increased yesterday after a disastrous interview on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

Presenter John Humphrys savaged him over Friday's High Court ruling that families of British soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan because of equipment failures could sue the Government under human rights laws.

Mr Browne suggested Mr Humphrys had not read the court judgment – only to be silenced by the presenter reading directly from the text.

Mr Browne remained on the back foot during a stumbling, bad-tempered performance in which he said the Government would appeal against the decision even though it conceded that human rights laws did apply 'to some degree' to soldiers.