LONDON  - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will reshuffle his team of ministers on Wednesday, a source in his Downing Street office said.

Since winning the 2019 election with a big parliamentary majority, Johnson's agenda has been eclipsed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The PM will be appointing ministers this afternoon with a focus on uniting and levelling up the whole country," the No. 10 source said.

"The government must also redouble our efforts to deliver on the people’s priorities," the source said.

Rumours of a reshuffle, and who might be on their way up or on their way out, have been swirling for weeks.

Finance minister Rishi Sunak sat next to Johnson in parliament as the British leader took part in his weekly question-and-answer session, but Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, among those tipped to be moved, was absent from the front bench.

(Reporting by Kate Holton, Kylie MacLellan and Elizabeth Piper; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) ((kylie.maclellan@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 0401; Reuters Messaging: kylie.maclellan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))