VICTORIA - Health minister Kevin Falcon has tossed his hat in the ring for the B.C. Liberal leadership, saying he'll cut the harmonized sales tax by two per cent if elected.

The Surrey-Cloverdale MLA is the third person to officially enter the race to replace Premier Gordon Campbell, joining Liberals Moira Stilwell and George Abbott.

Falcon is resigning as health minister to enter the race. Abbott and Stilwell also gave up their cabinet posts.

He says he wants to move up the date for the provincewide referendum on HST from Sept. 24 to some time this June.

Campbell announced earlier this month that he will step down because of the public anger over his government's introduction of the HST.

Falcon was flanked by nine members of the current B.C. Liberal caucus, including five members of cabinet.