SINCE becoming campaign manager for "Prime Minister-in waiting" Gordon Brown, Jack Straw has been tipped for a number of top cabinet jobs when Tony Blair retires. We look at what the future holds for Blackburn's MP.

"AS GORDON Brown's campaign manager Jack Straw is in line for some kind of reward," says Professor Patrick Dunleavy.

But the professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science reckons that predicting beyond that is not as easy.

After months of fevered speculation, there now seems to be five possible roles for Mr Straw once Tony Blair steps aside later this month.

Since Labour's 1997 landslide victory, the current Leader of the House of Commons has held three jobs and become what is seen as a safe pair of hands.

And as a former Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary, the only two great' offices of state he has not occupied are that of Chancellor of the Exch-equer and Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown will become Prime Minister on June 27, when Tony Blair stands down, after none of the challengers gathered enough support to stand against him for the Labour leadership. That leaves the Chancellor's job open.

"He is certainly clever enough to be Chancellor.

"But whether Gordon Brown wants to have somebody like that, who's not been on the economic side of things will remain to be seen," said Professor Dunleavy.

Former transport minister Alistair Darling is currently favourite to take this job according to online betting firm Betfair.

Prof Dunleavy added: "From Gordon Brown's point of view, he's built a team around him in the treasury but it does not perform the machinery of government.

"The running of the machinery of government and the organisation of the constitution are a big part of the Prime Minister's brief that he has kept clear of.

"The establishing of the Ministry of Justice is going to be a very big issue on this.

"It seems like a sensible choice as he has got a lot of legal friends and contacts.

"But Gordon Brown is fantastically hard to predict."

Mr Straw's close friend and Parliamentary agent, Sir Bill Taylor, said: "Jack's got the talent and experience and it's always good for a town like Blackburn to have their local MP in the middle of the cabinet.

"I know that Gordon Brown has a great deal of trust and respect for him."