A fourth member of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government quit Wednesday in a new blow to his political authority amid widespread outrage over the country's lawmakers' expense scandal. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said she told Brown in a meeting that she would step down from her job before an expected reshuffle of Brown's Cabinet in the coming days. “Today I have told the prime minister that I am resigning from the government,” Blears said in a statement. Her resignation follows the decision of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and two junior ministers Tuesday to quit Brown's government. The developments have put pressure on Brown, who many observers believe has lost control of his Cabinet amid public fury over legislators' excessive expense claims. British newspapers speculated that Brown's grip on power was slipping away. “Rats desert sinking ship,” said a front-page headline in The Daily Mail. “Meltdown for Brown,” declared the Daily Express, while The Independent spoke of “Disarray in Downing Street.” Blears has been criticized for making tens of thousands of pounds (dollars) tax free by selling a home she was using public money to maintain. She later repaid 13,000 pounds ($21,500). Brown is expected to shake up his Cabinet Friday or early next week in an effort to recover from the scandal. He had described Blears' actions as unacceptable, and was expected to fire her.
