Purnell quits Cabinet

June 05, 2009

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James Purnell

JAMES Purnell sensationally quit the Cabinet last night - leaving Gordon Brown teetering on the brink.

Mr Purnell, the Stalybridge and Hyde MP and Work and Pensions Secretary, resigned his post in a devastating letter to the prime minister. He told Mr Brown that the PM had to stand aside and give Labour a `fighting chance of winning'.

Westminster sources told the MEN the health secretary Alan Johnson had already assembled a team ready to take over if Mr Brown quits immediately.

One Labour backbencher said last night: "There is no way he can survive."

Mr Purnell’s resignation came as polls closed in crucial European and council elections – in which Labour is expected to receive a hammering.

It followed the damaging resignations of Hazel Blears, the Salford MP and Communities Secretary, and Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.

But Labour sources said Mr Purnell’s action – which came with a challenge to Mr Brown to resign – was the final straw. It is believed Mr Purnell was offered a promotion to Education Secretary.

His letter to Mr Brown said: “We both love the Labour Party. I have worked for it for 20 years and you for far longer. We know we owe it everything and it owes us nothing. I owe it to our party to say what I believe no matter how hard that may be. I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely.

“That would be disastrous for our country. This moment calls for stronger regulation, an active state, better public services, an open democracy. It calls for a government that measures itself by how it treats the poorest in society. Those are our values, not David Cameron’s. We therefore owe it to our country to give it a real choice. We need to show that we are prepared to fight to be a credible government and have the courage to offer an alternative future.

“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.”

Labour rebels had already circulated an email calling on Mr Brown to quit.

The M.E.N. understands that while dozens of backbenchers supported the document, many others were waiting for another senior cabinet member to leave before adding their voices to calls for a new leader.

Mr Purnell worked for Tony Blair as a special adviser in No 10 and has advanced swiftly through the ministerial ranks since arriving at Westminster in 2001, though he has not been mentioned as one of the foremost candidates to replace Mr Brown as prime minister.

Mr Purnell is known to be close to one possible front-runner for the leadership, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, though he insisted in his letter he was not acting with anyone else.

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David, North M/C (05/06/2009 at 01:31)

There is also a massive banner at Calais for Gordon Brown and the Labour party to step down and that is from would-be illegal immagrants.

the monkey, bolton (05/06/2009 at 05:45)

looks like another member of the "mob" startanew with fresh faces

gladys rowbotham, Manchester (05/06/2009 at 06:57)

..or does he?

john davis (05/06/2009 at 08:07)

Just need Darling or Hoon to go today, then Bingo election time and goodbye Brown, ha ha he really though it was going to be easy following in TB's footsteps, how wrong he was. Hopefully once a new government is in place they can consider prosecuting all those MP's who have cheated US the taxpayer out of millions.Bring it on

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (05/06/2009 at 08:27)

The party is over, so to speak, for Gordon Brown and his New Labour Sleaze and Corruption Party. I would like to think that Smith, Blears and now Purnell's resignations are in part because of their guilty consciousness's brought about by their abusing the expense system in which they were all embroiled. I doubt it though as none of the three have behaved very honourably previously so why would they change now.

Tameside Blue, Tameside (05/06/2009 at 08:31)

Hopefully once a new government is in place they can consider prosecuting all those MP's who have cheated US the taxpayer out of millions.Bring it on
john davis

Spot on. Why should they all get away with it just because they've chosen to fall on their swords. Resigning still doesn't alter the fact that they've stolen from the state.

And when Brown goes, we won't have to put up with that goldfish thing he does with his chin when he's speaking (As mentioned on Talk Sport Radio. Never noticed it till they mentioned it)

J.Hall, Tameside (05/06/2009 at 08:38)

Is Purnell seeking ultimate Power ?YES HE IS.
What has he already proven ? THAT HE COULD TEACH MANDLESON HOW TO BE DEVIOUS.
Will the Media in our region remain the mouthpiece of the Labour Party ? LETS WAIT AND SEE.
Do we need a General Election ? YES AS QUICK AS THEY CAN PRINT BALLOT PAPERS.
After 12 years of Labour where are we ? AT THE BOTTOM IN EVERYTHING ?

johnnyboy, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancashire (05/06/2009 at 08:53)

Having read this resignation letter in full, he takes the electorate in Stalybridge and Hyde for granted as usual suggesting working from the back benches in future, but to use his own words I think he will be "gone" long before that. He should face local deselection if for nothing else but disloyalty and disservice to his party,not to mention his expenses, sack him before the general election or face loosing the once safe Parliamentary seat.

N Harris, STALYBRIDGE (05/06/2009 at 08:57)

I hope he is deselected by the Stalybridge and Hyde CLP members so that his Parliamentary career is ended.

Camosquad, manchester (05/06/2009 at 08:59)

treachery
One entry found.

Main Entry:
treach·ery
Pronunciation:
\-rē\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural treach·er·ies
Etymology:
Middle English trecherie, from Anglo-French, from trecher, tricher to deceive, from Vulgar Latin *triccare — more at trick
Date:
13th century
1 : violation of allegiance or of faith and confidence : treason
2 : an act of perfidy or treason

vegas-blue, Stalyvegas (05/06/2009 at 09:24)

A labour MP making a correct decision. Congratulations Mr Purnell!

Barry Thornton (05/06/2009 at 09:35)

Unelected by either country or party this man soldiers on without any credibility. Who put him in power except big money. It shows how a nation can be subverted and taken over from the people. Our Democracy is under heat. This Cuckoo has cuckolded us by handing us over into an undemocratic corrupt Dictatorship the EU where 95% of the £40 millions a day, £14 billion a year = £190 billions over 14 years 95% of which is unaccounted for/missing. But even worse than that is the fact that 27 Members states paid in trillions 95% of which is missing. Phone, Write, Email, your MP and tell them that we want an election and a referendum on the EU.

SEAC (05/06/2009 at 09:36)

In all the resignation letters published , it is blatantly obvious where the loyalties of Labour politicians lie . Every one has put the party and their personal positions before the electorate. They need to be reminded that they work for us , and not themselves on a self serving gravy train, which extends to Brussels and not just Westminster.

nyb, ex manc (05/06/2009 at 09:50)

Purnell, your constituents are not stupid; they won't forget your £400 a month groceries bills claimed on expenses. Good riddamnce.

Frostee, Oldham (05/06/2009 at 09:57)

Before all the cheering for Brown’s downfall let’s examine this smug looking James Purnell who’s jumped ship. One of Blair’s researchers he hasn’t done anything in what might be called a ‘real life’ job apart from career politics. He is involved in the expenses scandal but, just like Blears, he was apparently ‘following the rules’. There was also that photo at Tameside Hospital which shown him posing in a group when he wasn’t even present.

This is the man who purchased 3,000 fridge magnets from our taxes under his expenses. And whilst renting a flat he claimed (without submitting receipts) £100 a month for cleaning expenses & £586 for repairs. However at the end of his lease the flat was photographed in an "absolutely dreadful condition" and after an exchange of letters between Purnell's lawyer and the landlord, the landlord kept the full £2,500 deposit (originally of course paid for by the taxpayers under his expenses claim). It was also reported that he was claiming more than £1,500 pounds a month rent for the flat although he was only paying £910 a month and his girlfriend was paying the rest.

And it was only last December that he proposed charging interest up to 26.8% on loans to the unemployed and pensioners made by the Department of Work and Pensions, which are currently interest-free. This was blocked by Gordon Brown - hmm I wonder….

He is said to be a rising star in the Labour Party and possible leader, well if he’s a future leader then I think Labour are doomed for a very long time indeed.

selfexiled (05/06/2009 at 09:58)

This behaviour as shown itself to be self destructive in the politics game but this individual as the right idea. Unfortunately he as cocked it up,(Whats new) he forgot to get a bus organised he could have taken the whole cabinet with him for what use they are.This is not a case of the wheels falling off their regime the whole thing is falling apart.What goes around comes around.

dessie, manchester (05/06/2009 at 10:32)

if we get rid of labour we still have the problem of the tories they are just as fat a pig as the labour cronies!!!

Frostee, Oldham (05/06/2009 at 10:52)

I wish that moderators could inform contributers what it is that is denied from a submission when it fails to appear.

I wrote about Purnell's expenses, his 3,000 fridge magnets, his dirty flat, his proposal to charge pensioners and benefit claimants 26.8% on Works and Pensions loans - which was blocked by Gordon Brown and quite a bit of other 'factual' relevant stuff. I wrote that to show up the character of a man involved in what I consider to be a treacherous act. The moderators have blocked the lot - why?

I've not much regard for Gordon Brown but I have much less for people like Purnell and Blears.

RT, UK (05/06/2009 at 10:55)

There may be smoke screens to the real issue here.

Brown must go, he is not only bringing the Labour Party down but the Country.

Britain have never had it so bad.

Thomas The Tank, Rusholme (05/06/2009 at 10:57)

“We both love the Labour Party. I have worked for it for 20 years and you for far longer.........Ermmmmmm Correction! Is there a typo here or is it just me?

I believe it should read....

“We both love the NU - Labour Party. I have worked... IT... for 20 years and you for far longer.....emphasis being on "I have worked IT"

but now we know the games up and the ship is full to the poop deck......lets find the nearest piece flotsam and hope it carries us of to a comfy golden hand shake and tidy pension for good measure......HEY! Gordon don't forget to snaffle some cheese from the galley, come on hurry up else we will go down with the rest of em!!

On a serious note....what I just don't get? Is why oh why do people keep insisting that this party is the LABOUR party? They have never been the LABOUR party........this past 20 years as he points out, they have been working for NU - Labour. By this I mean that all good honest hard working class peoples of this once great land, have been voting for a party that was anything but the LABOUR party.Well that's only my opinion. A reporter stood outside of the houses of parliament the other day and said in his report........"It seems this way that if you pinned a red rosette on a donkey, the labour faithful would still go to the polling booths and vote for it".....I rest my case!

This party that purports to be LABOUR has never existed this sadly is becoming now all too apparent, you were voting for NU-Labour they had a absolutely different agenda and that was to sink this country and now the "RATS ARE DESERTING THE SINKING SHIP IN DROVES". Women and children OH! and MP's first come along now don't panic..........as the fiddlers play on.

By the way as footnote I would not vote for a single party they are all lying in a rotting state at the bottom of the proverbial ships barrel anyway, god know's which way are we going to go? Even the back up bilge pumps don't work anymore!

Laura Norder, Didsbury (05/06/2009 at 11:02)

Typical, another Tory crawls from the woodwork claiming that Gordon Brown was unelected, conveniently forgetting that Major was in the same position when he was part of the plot to oust Thatcher.

Instead, he waited until a favourable time and then went to the country.

There will be an election in the next 12 months, allowing time for the remaining skeletons to fall from Conservative closets... then we'll see who can take the moral high ground.

Labour politicians are rank amateurs when it comes to playing the expenses system, whereas the Tories have been at it for generations.

(I deliberately excluded the LibDems from any of this as they are of little consequence, mere opportunists looking to grab a few crumbs from the table of the 'big two'.)

Esso Blue. G. Barry, it's a Done Deal. Next, Manchester (05/06/2009 at 11:05)

Mr Purnell is the type of person that needs to step aside to give Labour a fighting chance.

JoeStalin,Gorton (05/06/2009 at 11:20)

According to the daily telegraph, this is the man who claimed £1820 per month for a flat in Covent Garden which his girlfriend,Lucy Walker was probably more than capable of paying half of. He also charged the tax payer for an accountant who advised him. He also avoided more tax in 2004 by claiming that Manchester was his "primary" residence yet the Tax Office were informed that his London home was. If the man can't remember where he lives then no wonder he leaves his laptop on the train. He should be made minister for forgetfulness.

Didsburyman, Pendlebury (05/06/2009 at 12:01)

Like Hazel Blears - No loss !

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