Rose Gentle yesterday criticised Downing Street's decision to announce that Lord Drayson, the MoD's Procurement Minister, was taking "leave of absence" to follow a motor racing dream.
Rose Gentle yesterday criticised Downing Street's decision to announce that Lord Drayson, the MoD's Procurement Minister, was taking "leave of absence" to follow a motor racing dream.
Lord Drayson quit the government to take part in the American Le Mans motor racing series hours before a coroner criticised the "chaotic" military supply chain that left Fusilier Gentle vulnerable to a deadly roadside bomb in Iraq.
Mrs Gentle condemned the minister's decision when she asked: "Does he have the right equipment for the race? That's all I can say. It's really insensitive timing.
"He should be at his desk, not trotting off to some race. It just shows another breakdown in the chain of command. I think the servicemen and women are more important than him doing a motor race," she added.
Lord Drayson, who will be replaced by Baroness Taylor, told the Prime Minister earlier this week of his wish to take part in the motor racing series, but the decision was only made public yesterday by Gordon Brown's official spokesman.
The Defence Minister, who is a motor racing fanatic, explained in a letter to the Prime Minister, that he had a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to try to qualify for the 24-hour endurance race. He competes in a bio-ethanol fuelled car and came second in this year's British GT championship which qualified him for the US competition.
Lord Drayson, who founded the PowderJect pharmaceuticals company, is highly regarded in military circles as an effective minister, and while there is no certainty he will return to the MoD, he is expected to return to government.
The Tories described Lord Drayson's departure as disastrous. Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox said: "The only minister with any credibility in the defence industry has now abandoned ship."
Bernard Jenkin, a Tory member of the Commons Defence Select Committee, accused the government of covering up what was tantamount to a resignation.
He said: "He has been a good Procurement Minister and this is a disaster for the Ministry of Defence. He's walking away from a terrible mess because the spending review leaves the MoD short of around £1bn over the next three years.
"The idea he is taking leave of absence and is going to return to the MoD at a later date is utterly ludicrous. This is a resignation and they are trying to hide that fact."
Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, said: "I am sorry to see Lord Drayson leave government. He has worked tirelessly for over two years to improve the way in which we equip our forces."
