Exclusive: Why Lord Drayson gave up

Minister’s resignation highlights the crisis in Britain’s defence spending, writes robert fox

Heard the one about the peer who gave up his government post handling budgets of tens of billions - to take up motor racing? Well, that's the story we're supposed to swallow about yesterday's sudden resignation of Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Procurement and Trade.

Drayson, apparently, has had enough of politics and has always wanted to retire to his field of dreams on the Le Mans circuit.

None of this washes, of course, despite the feeble spin from Number Ten. Paul Drayson (right) is the most dynamic defence procurement minister we've had in decades. "He is a businessman, and not a politician, and that's why he really understood what needs to be done, and how to get it done quickly," a senior general told me.

His departure points to the deepening crisis in Britain's defence policy and funding. This