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Brown attacked after Blears quits Brown attacked after Blears quits
(30 minutes later)
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has resigned from the cabinet, increasing opposition pressure on UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to stand down.Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has resigned from the cabinet, increasing opposition pressure on UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to stand down.
Her departure follows a wave of top-level resignations on the eve of vital local and European elections.Her departure follows a wave of top-level resignations on the eve of vital local and European elections.
In stormy Commons scenes, Tory leader David Cameron said "the government is collapsing before our eyes" and Lib Dem Nick Clegg said "Labour is finished".In stormy Commons scenes, Tory leader David Cameron said "the government is collapsing before our eyes" and Lib Dem Nick Clegg said "Labour is finished".
But Mr Brown rejected their calls for an immediate general election.But Mr Brown rejected their calls for an immediate general election.
He said he wanted to get on with the job of steering the country through recession and cleaning up the MPs' expenses system.He said he wanted to get on with the job of steering the country through recession and cleaning up the MPs' expenses system.
Mr Brown said that recent weeks had put "enormous pressure" on MPs of all parties and their families because of the string of revelations about their expenses.
He accused Mr Cameron of seeking party political advantage from the situation.
I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate Hazel Blears Communities Secretary Full story: PM's questions
Mr Cameron said the prime minister was "in denial" and the communities secretary resigning on the eve of local government elections was a "direct challenge to his authority".
He said Mr Brown's team was now "deserting him", the government was "collapsing" and he urged the prime minister to "get down to the Palace, ask for a dissolution, call an election".
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "It's a tragedy that exactly at the time when people need help, need action, the country doesn't have a government, it has a void. Labour is finished."
Plots denied
Rumours are rife at Westminster of further resignations and that backbench Labour MPs are planning to oust Mr Brown - but ministers deny the existence of any coherent plot.
The BBC's Anne Alexander has been told backbench Labour MPs are circulating an e-mail seeking support for Gordon Brown to step down and be replaced by Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
If enough MPs sign it then they believe Mr Brown could be persuaded to go and it could happen as early as next week, the MPs have said.
But Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon told BBC Two's Daily Politics he thought such a move was "highly unlikely".
Ms Blears has been under fire over her expenses claims despite repaying £13,000 and was tipped for the axe in the forthcoming reshuffle.Ms Blears has been under fire over her expenses claims despite repaying £13,000 and was tipped for the axe in the forthcoming reshuffle.
The Salford MP denied doing anything wrong but Mr Brown described her claims as "totally unacceptable".The Salford MP denied doing anything wrong but Mr Brown described her claims as "totally unacceptable".
'Deliberate''Deliberate'
The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said she had felt unfairly singled out for criticism by Mr Brown and her resignation appeared timed to destabilise the prime minister.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who also faced expenses criticism and is also standing down, denied Ms Blears' resignation was timed to undermine Mr Brown ahead of vital local and European elections on Thursday.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who also faced expenses criticism and is also standing down, denied Ms Blears' resignation was timed to undermine Mr Brown ahead of vital local and European elections on Thursday.
In her resignation statement, Ms Blears said: "Today I have told the prime minister that I am resigning from the government.In her resignation statement, Ms Blears said: "Today I have told the prime minister that I am resigning from the government.
I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate Hazel Blears Communities Secretary Live commentary: PM's questions
"My politics has always been rooted in the belief that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things, given the right support and encouragement."My politics has always been rooted in the belief that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things, given the right support and encouragement.
"The role of a progressive government should be to pass power to the people. I've never sought high office for the sake of it, or for what I can gain, but for what I can achieve for the people I represent and serve.""The role of a progressive government should be to pass power to the people. I've never sought high office for the sake of it, or for what I can gain, but for what I can achieve for the people I represent and serve."
She added: "In this next phase of my political life I am redoubling my efforts to speak up for the people of Salford as their Member of Parliament. I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate.She added: "In this next phase of my political life I am redoubling my efforts to speak up for the people of Salford as their Member of Parliament. I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate.
"Most of all I want to help the Labour Party to reconnect with the British people, to remind them that our values are their values, that their hopes and dreams are ours too."Most of all I want to help the Labour Party to reconnect with the British people, to remind them that our values are their values, that their hopes and dreams are ours too.
There is no sign that Hazel Blears' resignation is part of an organised plot Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read the blog in fullThere is no sign that Hazel Blears' resignation is part of an organised plot Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read the blog in full
"I am glad to be going home to the people who matter the most to me: the people of Salford."I am glad to be going home to the people who matter the most to me: the people of Salford.
"Finally, there's an important set of elections tomorrow. My message is simple: get out and vote Labour.""Finally, there's an important set of elections tomorrow. My message is simple: get out and vote Labour."
Downing Street said Mr Brown "respects and understands" Ms Blears' decision to quit the cabinet and believes she made "an outstanding contribution to public life".Downing Street said Mr Brown "respects and understands" Ms Blears' decision to quit the cabinet and believes she made "an outstanding contribution to public life".
The Salford MP is a former Labour Party chairman and was one of the most prominent Blairites in Gordon Brown's cabinet but she came last in the poll to be Labour deputy leader two years ago.The Salford MP is a former Labour Party chairman and was one of the most prominent Blairites in Gordon Brown's cabinet but she came last in the poll to be Labour deputy leader two years ago.
She has been unusually forthright in her criticisms of the government and last month launched what was seen as thinly-veiled attack on Mr Brown in a newspaper article, criticising the government's "lamentable" failure to get its message across.She has been unusually forthright in her criticisms of the government and last month launched what was seen as thinly-veiled attack on Mr Brown in a newspaper article, criticising the government's "lamentable" failure to get its message across.
In an apparent jibe at the PM's much-mocked appearance on YouTube, she said: "YouTube if you want to. But it's no substitute for knocking on doors or setting up a stall in the town centre."In an apparent jibe at the PM's much-mocked appearance on YouTube, she said: "YouTube if you want to. But it's no substitute for knocking on doors or setting up a stall in the town centre."