Couple who must win Olympics for London

The Meyers, who married shortly before their posting to the United States, worked and travelled as a team. Blair cut short Sir Christopher's stint as ambassador to Germany to assign him to Washington, where he lived through an eventful five years which included the Northern Ireland peace process and the failed impeachment of then US president Bill Clinton.

He also helped smooth the transition of Britain's relations with the White House after Clinton, Blair's close friend, was replaced by George Bush.

The Cabinet delayed its final decision on whether to back a bid because of the war in Iraq. But Blair is ready to announce Government backing for a campaign - probably on 22 May - and head-hunters have already drawn up a list of potential candidates for the position of bid chairman.

The list is divided up into three parts with Meyer in the top category alongside former BP chairman Lord Simon, ex-Vodafone boss Sir Christopher Gent and BT chairman Sir Christopher Bland.

Lord Simon, who also has close links to Downing Street, has been tipped as a strong contender. But Meyer is believed to have the support of British Olympic leaders as well as the Government.

After the disappointment of England's failed bid to host the 2006 football World Cup and the troubled Dome project, Blair clearly wants to keep a close eye on such a highprofile-project. Meyer is regarded as a "safe pair of hands" who would be equipped to deal with the IOC's unusual mix of millionaires, royalty and former sports stars.

He may not have the experience of managing major sports events. However, as chairman, Meyer would be the main figure to "meet and greet" IOC members at key sporting events and conferences and get over the message about London's bid to members and the media.

London also intends to appoint a chief executive to run the bid committee and organise the technical aspects of the Games - transport, accommodation, marketing and funding. This is possibly where Lord Simon could play a key role with his business experience.

The potential candidates cannot be approached officially until the Cabinet has made its final decision on whether to support a bid.

The big question is whether Meyer could coordinate his role at the PCC with the Olympics job. Officials at the PCC say he is very busy in his new job and yesterday he was not immediately available to comment on the Olympic project.

Sir Christopher, however, is sure to be tempted by a challenge for which he is well qualified.

In addition to his foreign postings, Meyer worked as a foreign office spokesman for Geoffrey Howe in the 1980s and was Major's press spokesman between 1994 and 1996.

The Government is desperate to make sure a bid does not attract the same kind of negative publicity that dogged the Dome project. Meyer has described himself in the past as a "front-of-stage" man in media terms and is known to like giving speeches. He has studied relations with the media closely and has a reputation for producing sound bites for TV and radio.

Those skills could be needed if the bid hits controversy.