Byers resignation: Clarke and Hoon among favourites to take over

A trusted minister who can focus on sorting out the railways and transport without the distractions that Stephen Byers faced will be lined up to replace him in a mini- reshuffle today.

Among the front-runners are Geoff Hoon, the capable Secretary of State for Defence, John Spellar, a minister for Transport, who has, in effect, been Mr Byers' deputy, and Alistair Darling, the reliable "anti-spin" Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

John Reid, the trusted, straight-talking Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is frequently employed as a trouble-shooter by Downing Street when the Government is under attack, is widely tipped for promotion.

But putting a Scot in charge of an English spending department could prove difficult, although Mr Reid would be a natural to move into Mr Hoon's shoes at defence.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, a minister in the Cabinet Office, has many admirers among Mr Blair's closest allies and was regarded as a success when he was a transport minister before the last election. He was tipped then as a candidate to replace John Prescott and take on the top job.

He is said to be ready to move from the Cabinet Office and some believe his skills for finding pragmatic solutions to difficult problems and selling them effectively are not being used to the full. Today's reshuffle is unlikely to lead to wholesale changes around the cabinet table but it could promote figures who are believed to be performing well.

Charles Clarke, the Labour Party chairman and minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, is favoured by many who believe he will be a "safe pair of hands" and able to promote transport policy to the public.

But Mr Clarke, who is respected in party circles and is frequently brought out to bat on behalf of the Government, only took his current job a year ago.

The former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson has been ruled out. A return to government after two resignations would be unprecedented and some Labour figures fear it could compound the problems at transport if he were given the job.

Another candidate is Andrew Smith, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and a close ally of Gordon Brown. He held the Government's comprehensive spending review.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton, housing and planning minister in Mr Byers' department who is responsible for the Dome, is thought by some to be wasted in his current job. The Dome is to be sold this week and would free him for a move.

Part of the decision process will rest on Tony Blair's keenness to stop the press focusing on stories about "spin". It is expected that the new incumbent's main job will be to concentrate attention on sorting out the railways.

Whoever gets the post, ministers known for doing the job without courting media adulation, such as Alistair Darling, are most favoured for promotion in the reshuffle.

Moves around the cabinet table are expected to free space for promotion, either this week, or in a larger summer reshuffle, for ministers such as Barbara Roche, the Cabinet Office Minister, who has successfully sold the Government's policies on race, gay rights and women.