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| Hutton quits in cabinet reshuffle | Hutton quits in cabinet reshuffle |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Defence Secretary John Hutton has become the latest minister to quit the government - although he says he will remain loyal to Gordon Brown. | Defence Secretary John Hutton has become the latest minister to quit the government - although he says he will remain loyal to Gordon Brown. |
| It comes after James Purnell quit as work and pensions secretary with a call for the PM to "stand aside" to prevent defeat at the next election. | It comes after James Purnell quit as work and pensions secretary with a call for the PM to "stand aside" to prevent defeat at the next election. |
| Mr Brown is reshuffling his top team as he fights for his political future. | Mr Brown is reshuffling his top team as he fights for his political future. |
| Alan Johnson moves to the home office but Chancellor Alistair Darling and other key figures stay in place. | Alan Johnson moves to the home office but Chancellor Alistair Darling and other key figures stay in place. |
| Universities Secretary John Denham is expected to succeed Hazel Blears as communities secretary - after earlier suggestions he might move to health. | Universities Secretary John Denham is expected to succeed Hazel Blears as communities secretary - after earlier suggestions he might move to health. |
| CABINET RESHUFFLE Alistair Darling - stays as chancellorAlan Johnson - new home secretaryDavid Miliband - stays as foreign secretaryJack Straw - stays as justice secretaryLord Mandelson - stays as business secretaryJohn Hutton - quitting as defence secretaryJim Murphy - stays Scottish SecretarySir Alan Sugar - made enterprise czar LIVE: Brown fights for his future | CABINET RESHUFFLE Alistair Darling - stays as chancellorAlan Johnson - new home secretaryDavid Miliband - stays as foreign secretaryJack Straw - stays as justice secretaryLord Mandelson - stays as business secretaryJohn Hutton - quitting as defence secretaryJim Murphy - stays Scottish SecretarySir Alan Sugar - made enterprise czar LIVE: Brown fights for his future |
| Mr Hutton said he thought fellow Blairite minister James Purnell had made "the wrong decision". | |
| "I'm standing down from the cabinet today because I'm leaving frontline politics," Mr Hutton told the BBC. | "I'm standing down from the cabinet today because I'm leaving frontline politics," Mr Hutton told the BBC. |
| "I'm not going to be contesting my seat in the next general election and I think it's absolutely right that Gordon, who I'm supporting as our prime minister and party leader, should have a cabinet that's going to take him through the next election and beyond." | "I'm not going to be contesting my seat in the next general election and I think it's absolutely right that Gordon, who I'm supporting as our prime minister and party leader, should have a cabinet that's going to take him through the next election and beyond." |
| Labour is meanwhile bracing itself for further bad results after losses so far as English local election results are declared. | |
| Recriminations have already begun, with John Prescott blaming Harriet Harman, his successor as Labour's deputy leader, for running a "non-campaign" and accusing her and other cabinet ministers of being "resigned to defeat". | Recriminations have already begun, with John Prescott blaming Harriet Harman, his successor as Labour's deputy leader, for running a "non-campaign" and accusing her and other cabinet ministers of being "resigned to defeat". |
| David Miliband: "Today is a day for working not resigning" | |
| In a strongly-worded broadside on his Labour Home blog, Mr Prescott also singled out elections co-ordinator Douglas Alexander, Europe minister Caroline Flint and former Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears for heavy criticism. | In a strongly-worded broadside on his Labour Home blog, Mr Prescott also singled out elections co-ordinator Douglas Alexander, Europe minister Caroline Flint and former Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears for heavy criticism. |
| Mr Prescott warned that the party should not blame the results solely on the expenses scandal but also on senior ministers' "dereliction of duty". | Mr Prescott warned that the party should not blame the results solely on the expenses scandal but also on senior ministers' "dereliction of duty". |
| And he attacked Mr Purnell over his decision to quit the cabinet, saying he was "not so much a Blairite as a careerite". | And he attacked Mr Purnell over his decision to quit the cabinet, saying he was "not so much a Blairite as a careerite". |
| BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said he understood that Mr Darling had turned down a move to the Home Office and Mr Purnell had been "sounded out" about the job of education secretary, which would have paved the way for Mr Brown's ally Ed Balls to become chancellor, but that was not now going to happen. | BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said he understood that Mr Darling had turned down a move to the Home Office and Mr Purnell had been "sounded out" about the job of education secretary, which would have paved the way for Mr Brown's ally Ed Balls to become chancellor, but that was not now going to happen. |
| Gordon Brown is going to remain steady and resolute, dealing with the collapse of confidence in Parliament and the difficult economic situation, and we will support him loyally Harriet Harman, Labour deputy leader PM told to go as minister quits Tories and Lib Dems in poll wins | |
| Alan Johnson had been widely tipped as a possible challenger Mr Brown, among backbenchers plotting to oust the prime minister. | Alan Johnson had been widely tipped as a possible challenger Mr Brown, among backbenchers plotting to oust the prime minister. |
| Senior Labour MP Barry Sheerman told BBC News he wanted Mr Brown to stand down and predicted many of his backbench colleagues would vote that way if they were "liberated by a secret ballot". | Senior Labour MP Barry Sheerman told BBC News he wanted Mr Brown to stand down and predicted many of his backbench colleagues would vote that way if they were "liberated by a secret ballot". |
| But one group of Labour MPs have told the BBC they may delay their plans to circulate an e-mail gathering support for Mr Brown to quit. | But one group of Labour MPs have told the BBC they may delay their plans to circulate an e-mail gathering support for Mr Brown to quit. |
| And cabinet ministers have been rallying round Mr Brown following Mr Purnell's surprise departure, with none so far indicating they are ready to follow his lead. | And cabinet ministers have been rallying round Mr Brown following Mr Purnell's surprise departure, with none so far indicating they are ready to follow his lead. |
| 'Difficult times' | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband, seen as a political ally of Mr Purnell, said he was "dismayed" by his decision to quit, adding: "I think he is a big loss to the government but I don't share his judgement." | Foreign Secretary David Miliband, seen as a political ally of Mr Purnell, said he was "dismayed" by his decision to quit, adding: "I think he is a big loss to the government but I don't share his judgement." |
| Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who is staying in his post, said he "regretted" Mr Purnell's decision to quit but said he had done so because "he did not like the face of the man at the top" rather than through any policy differences. | Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who is staying in his post, said he "regretted" Mr Purnell's decision to quit but said he had done so because "he did not like the face of the man at the top" rather than through any policy differences. |
| Cameron: Time for general election | Cameron: Time for general election |
| "He has made an electoral calculation and I think he has got it wrong. The rest of the cabinet is behind the prime minister," said Lord Mandelson, who added that Mr Brown was the "biggest figure in British politics to lead the country in the face of very difficult times". | "He has made an electoral calculation and I think he has got it wrong. The rest of the cabinet is behind the prime minister," said Lord Mandelson, who added that Mr Brown was the "biggest figure in British politics to lead the country in the face of very difficult times". |
| Harriet Harman also joined in the criticism of Mr Purnell, telling GMTV: "If James Purnell wants to make his decision to leave the government, then that's a matter for him, but he's not entitled to say that the prime minister has to go too, and he's not going to." | Harriet Harman also joined in the criticism of Mr Purnell, telling GMTV: "If James Purnell wants to make his decision to leave the government, then that's a matter for him, but he's not entitled to say that the prime minister has to go too, and he's not going to." |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he disagreed with Mr Purnell and said Mr Brown staying on as prime minister was the "right thing for the country". | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he disagreed with Mr Purnell and said Mr Brown staying on as prime minister was the "right thing for the country". |
| Business tycoon Sir Alan Sugar, who has been appointed an "enterprise czar" in the reshuffle, also backed Mr Brown saying: "We are in an emergency situation as far as the economic conditions go... I can not think of a better person to be in place." | Business tycoon Sir Alan Sugar, who has been appointed an "enterprise czar" in the reshuffle, also backed Mr Brown saying: "We are in an emergency situation as far as the economic conditions go... I can not think of a better person to be in place." |
| But Conservative leader David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg repeated their calls for a general election. | But Conservative leader David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg repeated their calls for a general election. |
| Sugar support | |
| Mr Cameron told BBC News the government had "lost the right to govern," adding: "We have a government in complete chaos. We really do deserve better than this." | Mr Cameron told BBC News the government had "lost the right to govern," adding: "We have a government in complete chaos. We really do deserve better than this." |
| Mr Clegg said Mr Brown's future as PM was "irrelevant" because the Labour government was "finished" and had "run out of road". | Mr Clegg said Mr Brown's future as PM was "irrelevant" because the Labour government was "finished" and had "run out of road". |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe ineptness of New Labour over the past 11 years has finally caught up with themJonathan, Slough Send us your comments | |
| "The Labour Party has no right, at a time when people are crying out for help, to hold the country to ransom with its own splits and infighting," he added. | "The Labour Party has no right, at a time when people are crying out for help, to hold the country to ransom with its own splits and infighting," he added. |
| Mr Purnell's resignation came as the polls closed on Thursday for the European and English local elections. | Mr Purnell's resignation came as the polls closed on Thursday for the European and English local elections. |
| In a letter published in several newspapers, the work and pensions secretary said he was not seeking the leadership but wrote: "I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely. That would be disastrous for our country." | In a letter published in several newspapers, the work and pensions secretary said he was not seeking the leadership but wrote: "I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely. That would be disastrous for our country." |
| Labour is finished, claims Clegg | Labour is finished, claims Clegg |
| It comes after the resignation of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and two junior ministers. | It comes after the resignation of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and two junior ministers. |
| Labour is, meanwhile, waiting for more English local elections results to be declared - with the first few overnight suggesting they could be among the party's worst. | Labour is, meanwhile, waiting for more English local elections results to be declared - with the first few overnight suggesting they could be among the party's worst. |
| The results of the European election, which was also held on Thursday, will start to be published from 2100 BST on Sunday. | The results of the European election, which was also held on Thursday, will start to be published from 2100 BST on Sunday. |