White male ministers risk being 'hoofed out' to make way for women and minority ethnic MPs in the reshuffle, Tory MP Philip Davies has complained.

Theresa May’s reshuffle has created a "legitimate concern" that white, male ministers have been "hoofed out" to make way for women or minority ethnic MPs "because they are a white male", the Shipley MP told The Telegraph.

The Prime Minister is mid-way through a "refresh" of her Government which is expected to increase the number of female MPs and those from a black or ethnic minority background.

Mr Davies, a member of the House of Commons Women and Equalities committee, said the reshuffle had created “a legitimate concern that some people may feel they have been hoofed out or not promoted simply because they are a white male”.

Mr Davies – whose partner Esther McVey was made Work and Pensions secretary in the reshuffle – told the Telegraph: “Time will tell as to whether these people have got their jobs on merit or whether they have got them on tokenism.

“It certainly does not do anyone any favours to promote people who are not ready for promotion just because of their gender or race.

“Time will tell whether these jobs were given on merit or not. But obviously any self-respecting Conservative would say that all jobs should be given on merit and we should be blind to people’s gender, race or religion.”