Transport secretary Justine Greening is under pressure from within her own party over her opposition to expanding Heathrow.
The London Evening Standard reported “some ministers and Tory MPs” are pressing for Greening to be replaced in an imminent cabinet reshuffle to pave the way for a third runway at Heathrow.
The Standard reported: “They are arguing behind the scenes that the Conservatives need to send an early signal to business that they will expand the airport after the 2015 election.”
Greening, MP for Putney, led opposition in Parliament to a third runway and has proposed alternative ways of expanding air capacity in the southeast.
The Standard quoted an unnamed MP saying: “If Cameron is serious about changing the party’s position on Heathrow he will have to move Justine to another department sooner rather than later.”
A reshuffle is expected when MPs return to Parliament in September.
A replacement for Greening would be the third transport secretary since the government came to office just over two years ago.
Such a move would also exacerbate growing tensions within the coalition, with the Liberal Democrats expected to confirm their opposition to airport expansion in the southeast at their conference in the autumn.