Cabinet in revolt over Mandelson

Cabinet ministers are in full-scale revolt over proposals to make Peter Mandelson a European Commissioner.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott have let it be known they are fiercely opposed to any move to offer Mr Mandelson the plum Brussels posting.

Tony Blair still wants to give the former Cabinet minister the job when it becomes vacant later this year. It carries a salary of £163,453 plus a range of perks.

Mr Mandelson, who has resigned from the Cabinet twice, failed to rule himself out of the running in a radio interview today, claiming merely that he had "not talked to anyone" about it.

Labour MPs are certain, however, that he is desperate to succeed Neil Kinnock, who steps down this year after two terms in office. One of his chief rivals for the appointment, former Scottish secretary Helen Liddell, appears to have dropped out of the running amid authoritative claims she is about to be named governor-general of Australia.

Mr Blair is thought to be weighing up a shortlist of two - Mr Mandelson and former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown - and wants the role to go to his long-time aide and confidant. But the news that powerful Cabinet figures are lined up against him - and are even floating potential rival candidates - will be bad news for the former Northern Ireland secretary.

Mr Straw is said to be suggesting Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon for the role, which comes with a £24,000-ayear housekeeping allowance, while Mr Prescott is putting forward Robin Cook.

He is president of the groupingof Europe's socialist partiesand has impeccable pro-Brussels credentials - although appointing a man who resigned from the Cabinet over the war with Iraq would be a difficult decision for the Prime Minister.

Mr Hoon took a political and legal battering over the death of scientist David Kelly, although he was exonerated in Lord Hutton's report. It is thought he would welcome a move out of Westminster.

Reports this week that Gordon Brown was supporting Mr Mandelson's candidacy are also understood to be wide of the mark. The Chancellor is a long-standing political opponent of his.

Mr Mandelson's resignations from Mr Blair's Cabinet came between 1998 and 2001 - once after it emerged he had borrowed £373,000 from former paymaster-general Geoffrey Robinson to buy a house and once over the Hinduja brothers "cash for passports" scandal.

Asked on the Today programme whether he had spoken to anyone about the Brussels job, Mr Mandelson responded: "Nope. I haven't talked to anyone. I am very happy in British politics and very committed to representing my constituents in Hartlepool."

Asked about the possible move, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We are not at the point of decision."