Mr Kenneth Clarke is said to be on the verge of declaring that he is ready to enter the race for the leadership of the British Conservative party.
He returned from a business trip last week to Vietnam saying that, after two weeks of careful thought, he had at last had made up his mind on whether to stand but refused to disclose his decision.
However, the former chancellor's supporters are reported to be ready for a formal announcement that he would be a candidate in the contest to succeed Mr William Hague.
If he does, he will be the fifth candidate to declare, joining shadow chancellor Mr Michael Portillo, shadow defence secretary Mr Iain Duncan Smith, former-party chairman Mr Michael Ancram and former Europe minister Mr David Davis.
Although Mr Portillo is the clear favourite to win the first round ballot of MPs, Mr Clarke has said he believes he can win the second round when the top two candidates in the ballot enter a postal vote of the entire party membership.
He has so far delayed making a decision, expressing concern that, if he did win, as a committed pro-European he could find it difficult to lead a party whose MPs were overwhelmingly Euro-sceptic.
However, reports suggest that he has concluded that enough MPs would be prepared to put their differences on Europe behind them and back him as the strongest contender to take on Labour at the next general election.
He has been offered an unexpected olive branch by Mr Portillo who used the Queen's Speech debate in the Commons to call for the arguments over the joining the single currency to be "given a rest".
PA