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Rebels keep up pressure on Brown Purnell refuses to condemn rebels
(about 7 hours later)
Pressure continues on Prime Minister Gordon Brown following the resignation of one of his ministers amid demands for a leadership contest. Cabinet minister James Purnell has refused to condemn Labour's rebel MPs and warned there is no "magic bullet" to win back voters.
George Howarth, one of the rebels calling for a contest, said he was the most unpopular prime minister since wartime leader Neville Chamberlain. He told the New Statesman all parties had been slow to respond to economic turbulence and people had "slightly turned away from us".
He told BBC Two's Newsnight: "We can't allow that situation to continue." One minister has quit and 12 Labour MPs have called for a leadership challenge.
But minister Shaun Woodward said voters would be "utterly bewildered" by the timing amid the global credit crisis. Mr Purnell said he did not agree with them but it was "ridiculous" to pretend MPs could not complain when worried.
On Tuesday, Scotland Office minister David Cairns quit, saying the time had come for a debate on the leadership. In his interview, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who has been talked of as a future Labour leader himself, told the magazine the changing economic circumstances had wrongfooted all parties.
Timing 'appalling' 'I'm worried'
Mr Howarth, a former minister, said of Mr Brown: "He's so unpopular that no one can remember a time since Neville Chamberlain, after Hitler invaded Norway, that anyone was so unpopular. And we can't allow that situation to continue." "Something happened earlier in the year when we were pursuing the policies which were very much based on the old political challenges," he said.
"That's why people slightly turned away from us and there's no magic bullet to put that right, actually."
He said he agreed with his colleague, Business Secretary John Hutton's refusal to condemn the rebels adding: "I think it would be ridiculous to pretend that you can't complain when you're worried.
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"I mean, I'm worried that we're 20 points behind. I'm not going to condemn people or question their motives. [But] I don't agree with what they did."
Asked whether he would support a future leadership challenge, he replied: "One of the great wisdoms of politics is not to answer hypothetical questions and that's a hypothetical question. As John [Hutton] said, the job of the cabinet is to support the Prime Minister and that's what we're going to do."
Pressure has been mounting on Mr Brown after Scotland Office minister David Cairns resigned on Tuesday, and 12 other Labour MPs requested nomination forms for a leadership challenge.
Meanwhile the BBC understands that Eric Joyce, a ministerial aide to the Business Secretary John Hutton who has been reported to be considering resigning, has told Downing Street he is remaining in his job through the party conference and the Glenrothes by-election.
'No alternative'
George Howarth, one of the rebels calling for a contest, said of Mr Brown: "He's so unpopular that no one can remember a time since Neville Chamberlain, after Hitler invaded Norway, that anyone was so unpopular."
He said that the timing of the revolt against the prime minister was "in many ways appalling" but said that "wasn't of our making".He said that the timing of the revolt against the prime minister was "in many ways appalling" but said that "wasn't of our making".
"I didn't leak the letters that said we wanted a leadership contest. Others who did that may have to answer for their actions at some point in the future," he said."I didn't leak the letters that said we wanted a leadership contest. Others who did that may have to answer for their actions at some point in the future," he said.
David Cairns explains his decision to resign from government Asked about the comments later, the prime minister's spokesman said: "The PM is not giving these matters a moment's thought. What he is concerned about is dealing with the big issues facing the country."
Mr Howarth denied that a plot to unseat Mr Brown was under way, insisting that he had not known Mr Cairns was planning to resign. The party's position is that we should support our prime minister in government Des Browne
Cabinet Office minister Phil Hope told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Howarth's comments were "extraordinary" and he was a "bit puzzled" by the rebels' stance at a time the government needed to concentrate on the economy. Meanwhile Mr Cairns' former boss, Scottish Secretary Des Browne, has warned potential Labour rebels there is no alternative to Mr Brown's leadership.
He added: "I hope there won't be more resignations. I hope people will stop distracting us from the task in hand, which is to respond to the real problems people are facing in our constituencies up and down the country." Mr Browne, who is also the defence secretary, said Labour's conference, which begins in Manchester at the weekend, would provide an opportunity to persuade voters it had the right policies for running the country.
Plot denied He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland he "deeply regretted" Mr Cairns' departure but insisted he was wrong about Gordon Brown, saying the prime minister was the best qualified to lead the country through difficult economic times.
Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Woodward told Newsnight: "We are not interested in having a debating society about the leadership right now.
"What we are into is allowing the man who became leader of our party and prime minister last year to get on with the job."
I do not agree with you that this is the time at which the Labour Party should be focused on internal debates Gordon Brown to David Cairns
Mr Cairns' former boss, Scottish Secretary Des Browne, has meanwhile warned potential Labour rebels there is no alternative to Mr Brown's leadership.
Mr Browne, who is also the defence secretary, said Labour's conference, which gets underway in Manchester at the weekend, would provide an opportunity to persuade voters it had the right policies for running the country.
He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland he "deeply regretted" Mr Cairns' departure but insisted he was wrong about Gordon Brown, saying the PM was the best qualified to lead the country through difficult economic times.
"While it is undoubtedly the case that people have other views, the party's position is that we should support our prime minister in government," said Mr Browne."While it is undoubtedly the case that people have other views, the party's position is that we should support our prime minister in government," said Mr Browne.
'Disappointed'
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson, said calls for a leadership contest were being echoed, in private, up to cabinet level and there were some cabinet ministers who believed Mr Brown had to go.The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson, said calls for a leadership contest were being echoed, in private, up to cabinet level and there were some cabinet ministers who believed Mr Brown had to go.
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But he added there was a big difference between talk and action and Mr Brown could survive as long as no major figure stood against him.But he added there was a big difference between talk and action and Mr Brown could survive as long as no major figure stood against him.
Mr Cairns, the MP for Inverclyde, is the first minister to resign since rebel MPs began calling for a leadership contest last week.
But he denied being part of a plot and said he had tried to advise rebel Labour rebels against requesting nomination forms for a leadership contest. Labour's ruling National Executive Committee has refused the request.
Mr Brown told Mr Cairns he was "disappointed" by his decision to leave the government.
In a letter, the PM said: "I do not agree with you that this is the time at which the Labour Party should be focused on internal debates."
Cabinet ministers including Alan Johnson, Jack Straw, Alistair Darling and Harriet Harman have rallied round Mr Brown and urged party unity.