Senior ministers rally round Brown

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International development secretary Douglas Alexander has become the latest cabinet minister to express his support for Gordon Brown.

Senior Labour figures have stepped up to defend the prime minister's leadership, criticising pensions secretary James Purnell for his decision to resign.

Alexander told the BBC that the future of the Labour Party was "in the balance" over the next few days.

But he added that the best interests of the party would not be served by Brown's removal.

"I do not believe the best interests of the party are served if that debate results in the removal of Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party," he stated.

"I think that the public would be uncomprehending of a government that focused on itself at the moment, and not the needs of the public.

"I think the future of the party is in balance in how we conduct ourselves in the hours and days ahead."

He also expressed "regret" over Purnell's decision to resign from the cabinet.

"I regard him as a friend as well as a colleague," he said. "I think we would have been better placed to make the changes we need to make now... if James was still around the cabinet table.

But Alexander continued: "The actions of James Purnell and others evidence the fact that there are some within our party who honestly and sincerely believe that the right course is for the prime minister to stand down.

"That is not the position, I believe, is the mainstream position of the party. But that will emerge in the hours and days ahead."

Other senior cabinet members also expressed their support for the prime minister following a week of turmoil for the government.

In addition to Jacqui Smith's departure from the Home Office, communities secretary Hazel Blears has stepped down, as has defence secretary John Hutton, Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson and children's minister Beverley Hughes.

But transport secretary Geoff Hoon warned that now was not the time for a change in leadership.

He said: "It is important that confidence in the economy and in our political system is rebuilt and that is why Gordon Brown is the right person to lead the country out of the recession and to lead the debate on our constitution."

A spokesman for justice secretary Jack Straw said: "Jack is surprised and saddened by James Purnell's decision. He fundamentally disagrees with what Mr Purnell has said.

"He believes Gordon Brown is the right man to lead the country through the challenges we face. He has shown through his leadership that only Labour has the answers to these challenges."

And culture secretary Andy Burnham said: "James is a great friend of mine but I disagree with what he has done. The country needs stability right now and Gordon Brown is the man to take us through these difficult times."

Northern Ireland secretary Shaun Woodward added: "I fully support Gordon as leader and prime minister."

Despite rumours that Europe minister Caroline Flint was considering resignation, she also publicly backed Brown.

"I am staying in the government," she told the BBC. "I have spent my entire ministerial career for six years now serving Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and I am very proud to be in a Labour government and very proud to be part of Gordon Brown's government."

And chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper said Brown was "the right person to lead us through this".

She told GMTV: "I just profoundly disagree with James, I've known James a long time, for 20 years, and I just think he's made a misjudgement about this. I also think he doesn't speak for the cabinet, for the Labour Party, for the ordinary members that I was out door-knocking with yesterday evening."