Dodds, who tendered her resignation on Friday, cautioned that it would be unfeasible to maintain the existing priorities considering the magnitude of the budget cuts. She further stated that the impact would be significantly more than anticipated.

The ex-development minister, who has also worked as Starmer’s shadow chancellor, expressed her apprehensions that the budget cuts could force Britain to withdraw from several African, Caribbean and Western Balkan nations. This is particularly concerning given Russia’s recent aggressive expansion of its global influence.

Dodds also warned that the UK’s influence in multilateral bodies like the G7, G20, and the World Bank would be diminished, and the country could be excluded from many multilateral organizations. She objected to the portrayal of this decision as following Trump’s cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Dodds chose to delay her resignation until after Starmer’s meeting with President Donald Trump to ensure a united front. However, losing a crucial ally could be a setback for the prime minister, especially after his positive interaction with Trump.

Former International Development Secretary and Conservative, Andrew Mitchell, supported Dodds’ decision. He criticized the Labour Party’s actions as disgraceful and cynical, accusing them of balancing the books at the expense of the world’s poorest people.

The Tories had previously reduced development spending from 0.7 to 0.5 percent in 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also dissolved Britain’s dedicated aid department.

Stefan Boscia contributed to the reporting.