Baroness Chapman of Darlington has been appointed the new minister for international development following the resignation of Anneliese Dodds, Downing Street said.
Ms Dodds quit the role over the Government’s decision to cut overseas aid to fund a boost to defence spending.
In her resignation letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Dodds said she knew there were no “easy paths” to increase defence spending, but that she disagreed with the decision for aid to “absorb the entire burden”.
Lady Chapman, her replacement as international development minister, is seen as a long-term ally of the Prime Minister.
The Labour peer, a former MP for Darlington, served as Sir Keir’s political secretary between 2020 and 2021.
She also served as a shadow Cabinet Office minister when Labour was in opposition.