Environment Minister Jane Kennedy quits the Government
- 00:01:04
- ITN
Environment Minister Jane Kennedy quits the Government
Environment minister Jane Kennedy has quit the Government in the second round of Gordon Brown's reshuffle. Ms Kennedy, the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, reportedly resigned after refusing to pledge her loyalty to the Prime Minister. Downing Street said Mr Brown "regretted" Jane Kennedy's decision to quit the Government but denied he had asked her, or any other minister, for a loyalty pledge. A source at Number 10 said: "Jane Kennedy has decided to stand down and resign, which happens in reshuffles." Ms Kennedy was not offered a job, but made it clear she wanted to leave the Government, he said. Ms Kennedy said she feared Mr Brown would lead Labour to its "bitter end". "He himself has said in press conferences he had on Friday that he wants to fight on," she said. "My fear is that it will be to the bitter end of the Labour Party. "I think we are now in such a serious position that we really are fighting for the future of the party." She said it was a personal decision she had made but that she had wanted to wait until a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party later to see what her colleagues were thinking.
ITN | June 8, 2009
