Could Michael Howard be the next EU Commissioner?

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[/audioplayer]In recent weeks British government visitors to Berlin have been confronted with a persistent question: when will David Cameron make up his mind about who he’ll send to Brussels?

Picking a European commissioner is a big decision: Tony Blair sent Peter Mandelson, who went on to become the EU trade commissioner. Gordon Brown nominated Cathy Ashton, who picked up the foreign affairs post. There is a tradition of Brits landing relatively big jobs — and, ergo, power and influence. But prime ministers need to send someone with enough heft and zest.

Angela Merkel is not racked with indecision. She has already decided to reappoint her current commissioner, Günther Oettinger, and her impatience with Britain’s nomination is a sign that she wants to help our candidate land a plum job. Having let Mr Cameron down over Jean-Claude Juncker — she told him she would oppose Junker’s becoming commission president, only to leave the Prime Minister fighting alone — Merkel is keen to make amends. One recent German delegation to London indicated that if the British nominee were strong enough, the coveted internal market post lay waiting. Cameron still hasn’t decided who to pick. The ideal candidate would have held a senior Cabinet post, be familiar with how Brussels works and speak French and German. In other words, Cameron needs a Eurosceptic version of Nick Clegg.

Until recently, Andrew Lansley was the firm favourite for the job. He even took to badinaging in French in the corridors of the House of Commons with Tory MPs. But in recent weeks support for him has fallen away. No. 10 has been irritated by the hints he has dropped about having been offered the job.