Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has clarified that the UK government’s new National Centre for Information Defence will not be tasked with monitoring domestic political opposition. Speaking to GB News, he emphasized that the initiative is focused on external threats rather than internal dissent, stating, “We’re not interested in policing domestic political dissent.”
The announcement received strong support from Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, who welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to establish the new body. The proposal aligns with recommendations made by her committee earlier this year.
In a public statement, Thornberry highlighted the historical inconsistencies in how successive governments have addressed disinformation, describing previous approaches as “disjointed and without organisation.” She argued that this lack of coordination allowed hostile states, particularly Russia, to amplify falsehoods, sow division, and exacerbate tensions within the UK.
“This new National Centre for Information Security is an opportunity to finally take on this very serious threat,” Thornberry said. She noted that the foreign affairs committee had recommended such a center in March, driven by concerns over what appeared to be complacency among the British establishment regarding foreign-promoted disinformation.
Reflecting on the shift in Whitehall’s stance, Thornberry remarked that while officials had previously seemed dismissive of the issue—comparing their attitude to “talk to the hand because the face ain’t listening”—the government is now taking the threat seriously. “I’m absolutely delighted,” she concluded.
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