Image by cubicgarden via FlickrThe news that the head of the BBC’s Internet operations, Ashley Highfield, is stepping down has prompted much speculation about his successor.

Highfield is is leaving to launch an on-demand video service for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 known as Project Kangaroo.

The race is now on for one of the most coveted new media jobs in Britain, overseeing a budget of £400 miliion and the UK’s number five website.

The favourite appears to be Erik Huggers, Highfield’s number two and a former senior Microsoft director.

But as Paid Content suggests in its look at the likely candidates, the BBC may chose to opt for someone who may be better to handle the politics of the job.