Britain is to create a dedicated new centre to counter an “insidious campaign” of disinformation and hostile information warfare waged by Russia and other adversarial states, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Burnham revealed that he had instructed security chiefs to begin immediate work on establishing the National Centre for Information Defence, a body designed to detect, attribute and disrupt hostile state information attacks so as to “defend and support democracy”. The announcement signals a significant escalation in the UK’s response to what Burnham described as an “industrial-scale assault” of false and misleading narratives, with the new centre intended to form a central pillar of the country’s long-term national security architecture. The Prime Minister warned that the threat is not abstract but deeply personal, reaching into homes and communities to manipulate public feeling, corrode trust in institutions, and undermine the very notion of shared national identity. By centralising expertise and operations in one organisation, the government aims to give the UK the means to identify hostile actors quickly, expose their methods, and actively disrupt their campaigns before they can take hold. The move was announced against the backdrop of growing concern among Western democracies about the scale and sophistication of foreign interference, particularly during election cycles and moments of national crisis.
Burnham singled out Russia for particular condemnation, highlighting the enormous financial resources it devotes to manipulation. He stated that Moscow spends roughly £1.3 billion each year on shaping information landscapes, deploying every available tool to spread lies, exploit public anxieties, and create confusion. According to the Prime Minister, Russian agencies have used bots, fake websites, falsified newspaper articles and the forged branding of more than 28 organisations, including universities and the BBC, to lend bogus credibility to their narratives. He went on to accuse Russia of attempting to interfere with the 2019 UK general election, of amplifying far-right narratives, and of seeking to stoke tensions and unrest in the aftermath of horrific events. “We’re talking about an insidious campaign that reaches into people’s homes and twists what they feel about their own country and community – creating a narrative of decline, stoking division and sowing despair,” Burnham said. His words reflect a growing recognition that disinformation is not merely a nuisance but a strategic threat aimed at weakening democratic societies from within, eroding confidence in facts and making it harder for citizens to agree on basic realities.
The new centre is expected to become a core component of a broader 10-year plan for Britain that is due to be announced before the end of the year. Burnham framed the initiative as part of a necessary “architecture” to stem a “poisonous tide” of disinformation, suggesting that the UK must build permanent institutional capacity rather than rely on reactive, piecemeal responses. He also emphasised the importance of international cooperation, saying that the UK would share its understanding of how hostile actors operate and how to respond effectively with other countries, because this is vital for collective security and resilience. With more European elections on the horizon, he noted that many nations are grappling with these challenges for the first time and would benefit from the expertise the UK has developed. The UK has already assisted Moldova in protecting its electoral processes from Russian interference, and Burnham indicated that such partnerships would deepen in the years ahead. The establishment of the National Centre for Information Defence is intended to send a clear signal to adversaries that their operations will be detected, attributed and disrupted, while also reassuring allies that Britain is prepared to play a leading role in defending the democratic information space.
In a linked address, Burnham turned to the subject of artificial intelligence, announcing that frontier AI will sit at “the heart” of the UK’s presidency of the G20 group of countries next year. He outlined plans to work towards agreeing a single set of global principles and standards to ensure transparency and access, increase preparedness, and guarantee that AI development remains safe. The Prime Minister highlighted the work of the UK’s AI Security Institute, which he said is collaborating with the United States and leading AI laboratories on safety research. He presented frontier AI as a source of immense opportunity, describing it as key to economic growth, a route to transforming education, and a technology already speeding up cancer diagnosis in the UK with the potential to prevent and treat cancer more effectively. However, he stressed that fundamental decisions about AI must be taken by elected governments that serve working people, rather than left to chance or to corporate interests. He warned that the government would do whatever is necessary to protect the British people, including bringing forward new legislation if required, as the technology continues to evolve rapidly.
Drawing a historical parallel, Burnham invoked the first industrial revolution as a cautionary tale, noting that while that era brought incredible technological progress, it also produced huge suffering and exploitation for workers. He insisted that this time the UK must “get it right”, but expressed confidence that the country is “more than equal to the task”. His remarks suggest a vision of AI governance that is both ambitious and protective, seeking to harness the benefits of innovation while ensuring that working people are not left behind and that public safety remains paramount. The Prime Minister also announced that the UK is developing an AI defence partnership with the United States, underscoring the defence and security implications of the technology alongside its economic potential. By linking the fight against disinformation with the governance of frontier AI, Burnham appears to be consolidating a broader strategic agenda in which the UK positions itself as a leader in shaping the rules and institutions of the digital age. The combination of a new information defence centre and a proactive AI agenda reflects a growing consensus that the threats of the modern era cannot be tackled by traditional means alone.
Reaction to the proposals highlighted both promise and potential pitfalls. Sophie Williams-Dunning, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, a leading defence and security think tank, noted that the UK already has a legal basis for countering foreign intelligence under the National Security Act 2023. However, she argued that the UK’s response has so far been lacking compared with those of countries such as France, Sweden, Ukraine and Taiwan, which have dedicated agencies or centres for information defence. Williams-Dunning said the announcement will inevitably lead to debate about free speech and raise questions about the right level of government intervention. She added that Burnham and his advisers will need to emphasise the legal basis and justification for the new centre, because the measures will be scrutinised for their implications within a democratic society. The challenge, as she framed it, lies in striking the right balance between protecting the public and preserving the open, pluralistic nature of democratic discourse. The centre will need to operate with transparency, rigorous oversight and clear legal parameters if it is to command public confidence, while still acting with the speed and flexibility required to counter rapidly evolving threats. With the 10-year plan due to be published before the end of the year, the coming months will be critical in shaping a new institutional response to the defining information challenge of the age.