UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has moved to cement his inner circle, awarding top honors to two of his closest political allies—including a former minister whose resignation earlier this year over slashed international aid budgets sent shockwaves through the development sector.

The inclusion of Anneliese Dodds and Jonathan Ashworth in the New Year Honours list is being interpreted by analysts as a definitive consolidation of loyalty within Downing Street. However, for observers in Nairobi, the elevation of Dodds carries a complex weight: it honors a politician who walked away from power rather than oversee deep cuts to development funding that directly impact nations like Kenya.

Loyalty Over Policy?

According to the official list released Tuesday, Anneliese Dodds has been named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. A fixture in Starmer’s orbit, Dodds served as his first Shadow Chancellor in 2020 before taking on the development portfolio. Her tenure in government, however, was cut short in February 2025.

Dodds resigned from her dual role as Minister for Women and Equalities and Minister of State for Development in protest against Downing Street's decision to divert international aid funds to finance an increase in defense spending. Her departure was seen as a rare principled stand in a cabinet characterized by strict discipline.

Alongside her, Jonathan Ashworth has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Ashworth, who unexpectedly lost his Leicester South seat in the July 2024 general election to independent candidate Shockat Adam, has remained a pivotal figure in the Labour machinery.

The Nairobi Connection

The political maneuvering in London has tangible consequences for East Africa. Dodds' resignation highlighted the precarious nature of UK aid, which supports critical health and education programs across Kenya. By honoring her now, Starmer may be attempting to heal rifts within his party, but the policy that caused her exit remains in force.

Key developments leading to these honors include:

• July 2024: Ashworth loses his parliamentary seat but pivots to lead the influential thinktank Labour Together.
• February 2025: Dodds resigns from the cabinet, citing moral objections to cutting aid to fund defense.
• December 2025: Both are recognized in the New Year Honours, signaling their enduring proximity to power.

Think Tank Controversies

Ashworth’s CBE also draws attention to the machinery behind Starmer’s rise. After his electoral defeat, Ashworth took the helm at Labour Together, a thinktank credited with steering the Labour Party back to power. The organization is closely linked to Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s powerful chief of staff.

However, the group has faced significant scrutiny regarding its finances—a familiar narrative to Kenyans accustomed to opaque political funding. In 2021, the UK's Electoral Commission fined Labour Together for failing to properly register donations totaling nearly £740,000 (approx. KES 128 million). While the organization blamed administrative errors, the incident continues to fuel debate about influence peddling in Westminster.

As Starmer enters the new year, these appointments suggest a strategy of keeping friends close, regardless of electoral defeats or policy disagreements. For Kenya, the question remains whether this consolidated power will lead to a re-engagement on development, or if the aid cuts that Dodds opposed are here to stay.