Hazel Blears quits on eve of European and local elections

Jun 4 2009 by Andrew Woodcock

GORDON Brown’s authority as Prime Minister was dealt a severe blow yesterday, as Communities Secretary Hazel Blears quit the Cabinet on the eve of European and local elections.

Conservative leader David Cameron said the fourth ministerial resignation in two days showed the Prime Minister had lost command of a Government which was "collapsing before our eyes", while Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg told MPs: "Labour is finished."

But Mr Brown rejected opposition calls for an immediate General Election, insisting he was focusing on cleaning up the parliamentary expenses system and helping Britain through the recession.

However, he ducked Mr Cameron’s challenge to say whether Alistair Darling – tipped for the chop in the reshuffle expected within the next few days – would still be in the Treasury next week.

In a letter to Mr Brown confirming her resignation, Ms Blears said she was proud of her service to the Government over the past eight years and would "work tirelessly to see Labour elected at the next General Election".

But she pointedly offered none of the usual expressions of support for the Prime Minister or his policies.

In response, Mr Brown praised the Salford MP’s achievements as a minister and said he hoped she would return to Government in the future.

Downing Street said Ms Blears, who told the PM she was going in a face-to-face meeting yesterday, would be replaced as Communities Secretary "very shortly".