London (United Kingdom), Feb. 28 (LaPresse/AP) – The British Minister for International Development has resigned following Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to increase defense spending by reducing the foreign aid budget. In a letter to Starmer, posted on social media, Anneliese Dodds announced her resignation, stating that while there were no "easy ways" to increase defense spending, she disagreed with the decision to cut foreign aid.
Starmer announced on Tuesday that the government would increase the UK's defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, up from the current 2.3%, stating that Europe is entering a new era of insecurity that requires a "generational response." The increase would be financed by a reduction in the foreign aid budget, from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3%. The move, which has been supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, has been widely criticized by humanitarian agencies, who argue that it not only harms some of the world’s poorest people but also diminishes the UK’s influence.