Ms Dodds said she knew there were no “easy paths” to increase defence spending in her resignation letter to Sir Keir Starmer, but that she disagreed with the decision for aid to “absorb the entire burden”.
Anneliese Dodds has quit as international development minister over the Government’s decision to cut overseas aid to fund a boost to defence spending.
She said in her letter to Sir Keir that she had waited to resign until after his trip to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, who has been pressuring Europe to increase defence spending.
“While I disagree with the ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) decision, I continue to support the Government and its determination to deliver the change our country needs.”.
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced that defence spending will be increasing to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a view to it hitting 3% in the next Parliament.
