THE Downing Street adviser in charge of making sure government policy protects the Union has been sacked by Boris Johnson's top aide in a "Union unit" shake-up.

In a move to take control over the machinery of government, Dominic Cummings sacked Elliot Roy, a former adviser to the Scottish Conservative Party who previously worked as special adviser to the Scotland Office.

Roy moved from Dover House to 10 Downing Street after the PM took office, taking charge of the so-called "Union unit" promised during the Tory leadership campaign.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson to spend more time in Scotland in bid to 'strengthen the Union'

A Tory source told The National Roy is being replaced. Sources told The Scotsman newspaper that the move will "refresh" and "beef up" the policy team.