The Prime Minister’s efforts to shore up his premiership after a rocky few weeks continued today with a mini-reshuffle of his front bench. He followed up the surprise appointment of Steve Barclay, the Cabinet Office minister, to the role of No 10 chief of staff by moving Jacob Rees-Mogg, another of his strongest supporters, to a more hands-on role.

He leaves the post of Commons leader, which he seemed to the manner born, to become Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency based in the Cabinet Office. His role as Leader of the House is to be taken by Mark Spencer, the former government chief whip, whose days had seemed numbered after a succession of pratfalls.

Mr Rees-Mogg is an ardent Brexiteer who has never wavered in his enthusiasm for the opportunities offered by leaving the EU and will now be responsible for delivering them. While Mr Johnson’s long-term detractors, especially Tory Remainers, have been to the fore of recent criticism of his premiership, so have a number of Brexiteers who might have been expected to rally to his defence.

While matters of integrity have been cited, some are also disappointed that more is not being made of Brexit freedoms to deregulate and cut taxes, notably VAT on energy. Lord Bridges, a former Brexit minister, said this week that there was much talk of lower taxes, free markets, competition and enterprise but precious little evidence that it was being put into action.

“Instead of throwing off the duvet of regulation and bracing ourselves for the chill of global competition, we seem to be snuggling down,” he said. While he acknowledged that the “Singapore model” was never a realistic post-Brexit option, we are, he said, “drifting towards being Brussels on Thames”.

It is Mr Rees-Mogg’s task now to ensure that this tendency is stopped and reversed. But it is not his alone. The entire Government should be working tirelessly on this endeavour, just as all ministers should be concerned about departmental efficiency.

If Mr Rees-Mogg can coordinate this activity all well and good because the Government’s fate could well hang by his ability to do so effectively, preferably in time for the next election. These changes must be more than just for show, but to fulfil a purpose.