10:50pm Thursday 4th June 2009
PRIME MINISTER Gordon Brown was put under further pressure to step down tonight as Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell dramatically announced he was quitting the Cabinet.
In a resignation letter, Mr Purnell called on Mr Brown to step aside for the good of the Labour Party, saying his continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less, likely.
Meanwhile, former Cabinet ministers Alan Milburn and Stephen Byers have been accused of plotting to force Gordon Brown relinquish the top job.
The extraordinary allegation was made by Labour Chief Whip - and minister for the North-East - Nick Brown as part of an effort to "smoke out" rebel MPs.
Mr Milburn, who is MP for Darlington, and Mr Byers, who is the MP for Tyneside North, were named by Mr Brown in an interview according to The Guardian.
According to him the plot centres on a group of MPs calling themselves the Blearistas - a reference to Local Government secretary Hazel Blears who quit yesterday.
He named his two fellow North-East MPs, who both served under Tony Blair, as the ringleaders.
For the full story see The Northern Echo tomorrow.
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