This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8083585.stm
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Pressure on PM as minister quits | Pressure on PM as minister quits |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| James Purnell has stepped down from the cabinet and told Prime Minister Gordon Brown to "stand aside". | James Purnell has stepped down from the cabinet and told Prime Minister Gordon Brown to "stand aside". |
| In a letter to the Sun and the Times, the work and pensions secretary said he was not seeking the leadership but wanted to trigger a debate. | In a letter to the Sun and the Times, the work and pensions secretary said he was not seeking the leadership but wanted to trigger a debate. |
| Mr Purnell is the third cabinet member to announce in the past few days that they are standing down from cabinet. | |
| Mr Brown is set to reshuffle his team as he fights to hang on to his tenure as prime minister. | Mr Brown is set to reshuffle his team as he fights to hang on to his tenure as prime minister. |
| In his letter to Mr Brown, Mr Purnell said he owed it to the Labour Party to "say what I believe no matter how hard that may be". | In his letter to Mr Brown, Mr Purnell said he owed it to the Labour Party to "say what I believe no matter how hard that may be". |
| 'Fighting chance' | 'Fighting chance' |
| He wrote: "I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely. That would be disastrous for our country." | He wrote: "I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely. That would be disastrous for our country." |
| He added: "I am therefore calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning. As such I am resigning from government." | He added: "I am therefore calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning. As such I am resigning from government." |
| This goes far beyond just a few people, this is a large number of us who are really unhappy about the present situation Barry SheermanLabour backbencher | |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it was the first direct challenge to Mr Brown from a cabinet minister. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it was the first direct challenge to Mr Brown from a cabinet minister. |
| Mr Purnell's resignation was a message to the rest of the Labour Party to make up their minds about Mr Brown's leadership, he said. | Mr Purnell's resignation was a message to the rest of the Labour Party to make up their minds about Mr Brown's leadership, he said. |
| He said sources close to Gordon Brown knew nothing of Mr Purnell's decision and the news was likely to be met by a "mixture of genuine sorrow and real anger". | |
| The news comes as the polls closed across the UK for the European elections, the last big test of opinion ahead of a general election. | The news comes as the polls closed across the UK for the European elections, the last big test of opinion ahead of a general election. |
| Secret ballot | |
| In England people have also been voting in 27 county and seven unitary council elections - and for three mayors. | In England people have also been voting in 27 county and seven unitary council elections - and for three mayors. |
| Speaking as the polls closed, senior Labour backbencher Barry Sheerman told the BBC there should be a ballot of Labour MPs to see if Gordon Brown still has the confidence of the party. | Speaking as the polls closed, senior Labour backbencher Barry Sheerman told the BBC there should be a ballot of Labour MPs to see if Gordon Brown still has the confidence of the party. |
| He told the BBC: "Many of my colleagues, all over the Palace of Westminster, are e-mailing each other and phoning each other. | He told the BBC: "Many of my colleagues, all over the Palace of Westminster, are e-mailing each other and phoning each other. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY If Brown decides to go, or the party elect another leader there must be a general election. The Labour Party has nobody of sufficient calibre to take over as PM David Lloyd, Harrow Send us your comments | |
| "This goes far beyond just a few people, this is a large number of us who are really unhappy about the present situation. | "This goes far beyond just a few people, this is a large number of us who are really unhappy about the present situation. |
| "We would love to have a secret ballot so that we can express our views in the confidence that there would be no recriminations whatever way the vote went." | "We would love to have a secret ballot so that we can express our views in the confidence that there would be no recriminations whatever way the vote went." |
| But asked about the idea of a ballot on BBC One's Question Time, Labour's leader in the Lords Baroness Royall, said: "If that's Barry Sheerman's view I don't happen to agree with it. I believe at this moment in transparency and freedom of information." | But asked about the idea of a ballot on BBC One's Question Time, Labour's leader in the Lords Baroness Royall, said: "If that's Barry Sheerman's view I don't happen to agree with it. I believe at this moment in transparency and freedom of information." |
| She defended Mr Brown's style of leadership and said he could relate to people: "We haven't got a media star, we have got a person who works damned hard and is taking us through the economic crisis." | She defended Mr Brown's style of leadership and said he could relate to people: "We haven't got a media star, we have got a person who works damned hard and is taking us through the economic crisis." |
| There have been predictions Labour could be pushed into third or fourth place in the Euro elections behind the UK Independence Party (UKIP), following damaging revelations about expenses claims in the Daily Telegraph. | |
| Council results are expected overnight from Lincolnshire, Bristol and Central Bedfordshire - and the result of the mayoral contest in Hartlepool. | |
| Mr Brown's much anticipated reshuffle was pre-empted earlier this week with the news that Jacqui Smith had asked to step down as home secretary. | |
| She later said she believed Gordon Brown was the right person to lead the Labour Party but was stepping down for her family - who had been "at the forefront" of expenses allegations against her. | |
| Then Hazel Blears announced on Wednesday that she would be stepping down as communities secretary. | |
| In her resignation statement she did not pay the customary tribute to the prime minister, who weeks ago had described her own actions on expenses as "totally unacceptable". | |
| Alistair Darling's position as chancellor is also thought to be vulnerable after questions about his expenses. | |
| Amid a fevered atmosphere at a Westminster - where the expenses saga has dominated the agenda during the election - two junior ministers Beverley Hughes and Tom Watson have also said they are to step down. | |
| There have been rumours of further resignations to come - and some Labour backbench MPs say they are circulating a letter among MPs seeking support for a call on Mr Brown to go. | |
| About 70 Labour MPs would be required to nominate a specific alternative candidate to trigger a leadership contest. |