London - A third British minister resigned from Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government late Thursday and called on the leader to step down.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell announced his resignation in a letter to several newspapers after polls had closed in European and local elections.

Purnell wrote that Brown should quit his position for the good of the Labour Party and that his leadership made a victory by the opposition Conservatives likely in the next election.

Two other ministers, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, had already resigned from the cabinet.(dpa)