Purnell is 3rd Cabinet member to resign

LONDON, June 4 (UPI) -- British Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell resigned from the Cabinet Thursday night and called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to follow suit.

The BBC said Purnell's resignation letter to Brown noted "we both love the Labor Party" and "we know we owe it everything and it owes us nothing."

"I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely," Purnell continued, in part. "That would be disastrous for our country. This moment calls for stronger regulation, an active state, better public services, an open democracy.

"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."

The Daily Mail reported Purnell resigned despite being asked to stay on. That is in contrast to Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who left this week before being pushed out, the newspaper said.

While there was talk Foreign Secretary David Miliband could be the next to leave the Brown government, the BBC and Sky News reported he does not intend to resign, the Mail said.

Conservative leader David Cameron Thursday local time again called for an immediate general election.

"For the sake of the country Gordon Brown must take the one final act of authority left open to him -- go to the palace today and call the general election we have been demanding," Cameron said.

CNN reported the prime minister's office issued a statement, saying Gordon would continue working "on the big challenges facing the country for the future: how we guide the economy through the downturn and strengthen it for the future; how we push ahead with reform of and investment in our public services; and how we renew trust in our democracy and Parliament."