Anneliese Dodds quits as Labour minister over help reduce in blow to Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer has been rocked after a Labour minister quit in protest over his heavily-criticised cut to international aid.

Anneliese Dodds walked out as international development minister following the decision to slash the aid budget in order to fund an increase in defence spending. The Prime Minister has faced a backlash over the move, which critics warn will have a devastating impact on the world’s poorest people.

In a letter to the PM, Ms Dodds wrote: “Ulitmately, these cuts will remove food and healthcare from desperate people – deeply harming the UK’s reputation.” She warned it would be “impossible” to provide humanitarian support for Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

Ms Dodds, who attended cabinet in her ministerial role, warned that the move could empower tyrant Vladimir Putin further. She wrote: “The cut will also likely lead to a UK pull-out from numerous African, Caribbean and Western Balkan nations – at a time when Russia has been aggressively increasing its global presence.”

Ms Dodds said she disagreed with the decision to cut overseas development aid to 0.3% of GNI (gross national income). Mr Starmer announced he would do so in order to ramp up defence spending amid growing uncertainty over Ukraine.

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