In a post on X,, external Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “I disagree with the PM on many things but on reducing the foreign aid budget to fund UK defence? He’s absolutely right.

“He may not be able to convince the ministers in his own cabinet, but on this subject, I will back him.”

However one of her backbenchers – and a former international development minister – Andrew Mitchell backed Dodds, accusing Labour of trying “disgraceful and cynical actions”. “Shame on them and kudos to a politician of decency and principle,” he added.

Liberal Democrat international development spokesperson Monica Harding said Dodds had “done the right thing” describing the government’s position as “unsustainable.

She said it was right to increase defence spending but added that “doing so by cutting the international aid budget is like robbing Peter to pay Paul”.

“Where we withdraw our aid, it’s Russia and China who will fill the vacuum.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said she was “sorry to hear” of Dodds’s resignation.

“It is a really difficult decision that was made but it was absolutely right the PM and cabinet endorse the PM’s actions to spend more money on defence,” she said.

Dodds first became a Labour MP in 2017 when she was elected to represent the Oxford East constituency.

Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party she served as a shadow Treasury minister and was promoted to shadow chancellor when Sir Keir took over.

Following Labour’s poor performance in the 2021 local elections, she was demoted to the women and equalities brief.

Since July 2024, she has served as international development minister.

Dodds becomes the fourth minister to leave Starmer’s government, following Louise Haigh, Tulip Siddiq and Andrew Gwynne.