Anneliese Dodds Resigns Over UK Foreign Aid Cuts

British international development minister Anneliese Dodds resigned, opposing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to slash the foreign aid budget in favor of increasing defense spending. The move has drawn criticism from humanitarian charities concerned about its impact on UK influence and support for countries like Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.

Anneliese Dodds, the British international development minister, stepped down on Friday. Her resignation came in response to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's controversial decision to cut the foreign aid budget to boost defense spending. The aid reduction has faced severe backlash from humanitarian organizations.

Starmer, aiming to signal strength to U.S. President Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday that the annual defense budget would be increased. This change, however, comes at the cost of the overseas development budget, which will drop from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP. Charities are worried about the detrimental effects on the UK's global influence and the essential support they provide.

In her resignation letter, Dodds expressed concern that the cuts will harm vital projects in areas like Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine, ultimately damaging the UK's international reputation. The British foreign office, responsible for overseeing development aid, has yet to release a statement on the matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)