'I support Brown 100%... but I'm still quitting before the next election', Trade Minister Lord Jones tells big business

The former CBI leader said there was "nothing new" in a newspaper report he would step down because he could not support the prime minister.

Lord (Digby) Jones, speaking at a trade conference in London, said: "I've never claimed to be a political animal and as you know I believe trade and investment should transcend the factionalism of party politics.

Scroll down for more...

"But one thing I'm absolutely clear on - I am 100% committed to this job and to the Prime Minister.

"I am a supporter of Gordon Brown and believe in what he is doing. I will continue to give him personally my full support and I am delighted to be doing this important job for my country. My plan now, as always, is to get on with the job."

The peer was said to have disclosed his intention to quit at a private meeting with businessmen and lobbyists at Westminster on January 29.

Treasury Minister Angela Eagle told BBC2's Newsnight last night: "He is an unusual man. He is not in the Labour Party. I think that he is saying that, as a non-affiliated party person, he doesn't want to be around the Government during a general election.

"That could be two years away. I suggest we talk about the economy and stop worrying about this tittle-tattle around the edge."

A spokeswoman for UK Trade and Investment said yesterday it was "no secret" that Lord Jones did not intend to pursue a long-term political career and that his time in government was "finite".

The report is a further blow to Mr Brown, coming amid growing unease among Labour MPs at the Government's tumbling opinion poll ratings and worries about the worsening economic outlook.

Lord Jones is said to have disclosed his intention on to quit at a private meeting in Westminster on January 29 attended by about 10 businessmen and lobbyists.

The UKTI spokeswoman said: "As a dedicated supporter of British business who has spent years raising business issues from the outside, Lord Jones has said on many occasions how delighted he was to join the Government as Trade and Investment Minister working as part of a successful team focusing on maintaining stability and competitiveness of the British economy.

"It is no secret that he does not wish to pursue a political career in the longer term and he has always said that he will continue his ministerial role for a finite period.

"With a successful 30-year business career behind him and the benefit of a single focus on trade and investment, he will continue to use his ministerial position to deliver more intensive support for UK business internationally and bang the drum for brand Britain around the world."

Shadow business and enterprise secretary Alan Duncan said: "It's unprecedented for a minister to say that they have no confidence in their own prime minister.

"If Digby Jones does not want to campaign for Gordon Brown at the next election I suspect he is at the head of a long queue."

Appointed alongside the former United Nations deputy secretary general Lord Malloch-Brown and the ex-First Sea Lord, Lord West of Spithead, as part of Mr Brown's "government of all the talents", Lord Jones has always been a controversial figure among Labour MPs.

Despite being a minister, he has refused to take the Labour whip in the House of Lords and he caused embarrassment after he spoke out about Chancellor Alistair Darling's plans to reform capital gains tax and tax wealth "non-domiciled" foreigners living in Britain.

It led some MPs to question Mr Brown's wisdom in appointing ministers from outside the ranks of Westminster politicians. Both Lord Malloch-Brown and Lord West have also caused difficulties for the Government.

Lord Malloch-Brown caused anger with his comments about the need for a different relationship with the United States while Lord West has questioned plans to extend the detention of terrorist suspects without charge to 42 days.