Three front runners for Mandelson job
Northern Ireland Minister Adam Ingram is among three candidates likely to be considered to take over as Northern Ireland Secretary from Peter Mandelson.
Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy and Scottish Secretary John Reid are the other two.
Paul Murphy was responsible for political development at Stormont during the process which ended in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
He was well liked by all sides at Stormont, particularly the Unionists after he declared that decommissioning was an indispensable part of the Good Friday Agreement.
Ulster Unionist MP Ken Maginnis says: "It has to be someone who brings the same degree of commitment and logic to the situation as Peter Mandelson. "
Dr Reid's name was mentioned in Belfast before the Prime Minister gave Mr Mandelson the chance to resurrect his career.
And Mr Ingram, who has been at Stormont since 1997, could quite easily slip into the job - in the same way he stood in for Mr Mandelson in the closing stages of Northern Ireland questions in the Commons today.
