The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, might extend the deadline for political nominations to the new Policing Board in a move to give the SDLP time to consider its position once the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill becomes law.
Mr Mandelson has already extended the period for nominations for nine "independent" members of the board beyond the original deadline of next Monday, while the four parties serving in the Executive were due to name their nominees (totalling 10) by December 4th.
The board is intended to start work in "shadow" form in early January, ahead of the first wave of advertising for recruits to the newly-named Police Service of Northern Ireland in March.
However, British government sources last night signalled that the nominating period might be extended by a short time to allow the parties, and in particular the SDLP, to consider the final shape of the Police Bill when it reaches the statute book later this month.
Mr Mandelson's determination to see the Bill become law appeared undiminished last night, despite criticisms from a former Patten Commissioner, Prof Clifford Shearing, and Mr David Trimble's assertion that he would be "astonished" if the Secretary of State was to proceed with police reform at this time.
Downing Street rallied to Mr Mandelson's defence yesterday in response to Prof Shearing's assertion that the British government had "gutted" the original Patten proposals.
"We believe we are implementing the Patten report, and doing so in a way that is consistent and fair," said a spokesman for the Prime Minister, Mr Blair.
Today in the House of Lords the government will face down Ulster Unionist demands for a "moratorium" on policing reforms, and a Conservative-led attempt to retain the RUC cap badge, incorporating the harp, crown and shamrock, as the symbol of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Following today's third reading in the Lords the Police Bill will go back to the Commons for report stage within the next two weeks, after which it will receive the royal assent and become law.
While accepting the limits of what can be defined in legislation, the Irish Government is continuing to press Mr Mandelson to couple the completion of the legislative process with a further statement defining his position and intention on the key issues of title, flags and symbols for the new service.
However there is strong speculation in London and Dublin that as all sides gear-up for next year's local and general election campaigns, the SDLP might defer a decision on whether to nominate members to sit on the new Policing Board until later next year.