Anneliese Dodds, the UK’s International Development Minister, resigned on Friday, February 28, 2025, due to cuts to overseas aid.
The decision to reduce aid was made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in order to increase the UK’s defence budget.
The move to lower the overseas aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of the country’s gross national income was part of Starmer’s pledge to raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.
Dodds, in her resignation letter, expressed concerns that the cuts would result in a loss of essential food and healthcare for people in need.
While Dodds acknowledged the importance of boosting defense spending amid changing global conditions, she criticized the decision to have overseas development assistance bear the full financial burden.
She had hoped for a broader discussion to find a fairer solution.
Starmer responded, admitting that cutting aid was a difficult decision but insisted that national security should be the government’s top priority.
He also appointed Jenny Chapman, a long-time ally, to take over Dodds’ role as the new International Development Minister.
Dodds voiced concerns that vital aid programs in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and efforts on climate change and vaccination would suffer.
She warned that the cuts could lead to the UK pulling out of important initiatives in countries across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Western Balkans.
Prime Minister Starmer reassured her that his government would continue to support key programems in conflict zones despite the reductions in aid funding.
