Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in light of the forthcoming NATO summit in February, announced the publication of a new National Security Strategy, allowing the British public insight into the direction the United Kingdom will approach foreign and domestic affairs.
The National Security Strategy is a document published by the government which outlines the country’s foreign and domestic security policies, defining shared goals within parliament and therefore increasing its productivity.
Held in the Netherlands between the 24th and 26th of June 2025, the Hague NATO summit will host discussions between European Leaders who appear to be in collective agreement that there is a significant need to increase spending on defence in order to deter Russia, in light of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Starmer has announced his definitive goal for the nation to be united, expressing the pressing need to “deploy all of our resources to achieve security”. He aims to achieve this through decreasing international aid spending (from 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income to 0.3 per cent) in order to allow for an increase in defence spending.
The publication of the Strategy comes directly after his historic pledge to contribute 5 per cent of GDP to national security.
Reasoning
The world is becoming increasingly uncertain, with technological and economic developments across the globe generating competition in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
With these increasing developments, the Strategy acknowledges that tackling the actions of global powers, such as Russia and China, may be a greater struggle than it was during the Cold War. Scientific and technological efforts have undeniably changed the landscape of conflict, as demonstrated by the nuclear arms crisis in the Middle East, and the UK aims to achieve stability aided by both large and small global companies, increasing the strength of the UK in the changing political landscape.
Identifying the three main issues faced by the UK as confrontation with adversaries, competition with other states, and cooperation, the Security Strategy outlines the severe strategic challenges affecting the stability of the United Kingdom.
At a time when global tensions are at their highest levels for decades, the prospect of conflict between major powers rises, and the Strategy identifies the need for the United Kingdom to adapt in order to maintain a competitive status among nations. It aims to achieve this through strengthening alliances, seen through the agreement towards 5 per cent of GDP being spent on defence.
Strategic Framework: The Three Pillars of National Security Strategy
The framework of the Security Strategy focuses on foreign and domestic affairs, with industrial policy being separately addressed in the collection of documents which were published under the Modern Industrial Strategy on the 23rd of June.
The Strategy is divided into three pillars: Security at Home, Strength Abroad, and Increase Sovereign and Asymmetric Capabilities. These three pillars aim to not only project an image of strength but also build upon the foundation of the UK’s foreign policy in order to keep British citizens safe and strengthen the United Kingdom’s international influence.
1. Security at Home
The Security Strategy seeks to defend UK territory, make the UK a harder target overall, and build resilience to possible threats.
Recognising the importance of the UK’s status as an island nation, the Royal Navy will secure undersea infrastructure as well as police the seas surrounding the island, in order to counter maritime threats and maintain energy supplies (primarily through the protection of the subsea fibre optic cables and pipes, through which the UK receives 99 per cent of its digital communications and 75 per cent of its gas supply).
The Strategy also mentions the development of technologies which will allow for targeted interventions of criminal activity at the borders, recognising the severity of the drug and firearms trade at the borders, as well as the 16,770 victims of human trafficking recognised in 2023/24 as a result of underdeveloped border protection.
Steps will also be taken to prevent the UK from being an easy target for hostile actions and exploitation, namely organised crime. Utilising the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre, as well as numerous government agencies, the Strategy aims to increase public safety and disrupt terrorist groups before offences can be carried out. This extends to online threats as well, under the Online Safety Act 2023, which will further protect internet users from terrorist content and tackle extremism online.
All of these measures aim to work in tandem with one another to increase national resilience to disruptive threats, both foreign and domestic. The Home Defence policy seeks to achieve this through the running of National Exercises to assess preparedness, alongside an increase in public communications regarding the steps which should be taken in the event of a threat.
2. Strength Abroad
The UK government also has several methods in which it aims to bolster collective security, maintain key alliances, and develop new partnerships.
Working within the NATO alliance, the UK plays an integral role in operational deployments, as well as maintaining Euro-Atlantic security from modern threats. These include nuclear arms and submarines as well as the Russian threat in Ukraine, with a key goal being to prevent further Russian aggression. The UK has contributed a total of £18 billion towards Ukrainian efforts and remains committed to defending Ukrainian security through the training of Ukrainian soldiers and sanctioning of over 2,500 Russian targets.
The Strategy highlights the importance of alliances with foreign powers in achieving strength abroad, particularly the United States and the EU, and will work alongside the EU to work towards shared goals: economic growth, better living standards, and border protection. The Security Strategy also mentions the interest of the UK in achieving partnerships with India and other Indo-Pacific nations.
3. Increase Sovereign and Asymmetric Capabilities
As the threat from foreign forces increases, it is critical that the industrial capacity of the United Kingdom is maximised, allowing for strength and cohesion in the face of global uncertainty. The National Security Strategy aims to achieve this through the rebuilding of the industrial base, recognition of sovereign capabilities, and the achievement of asymmetric advantages over foreign parties in order to secure the United Kingdom as a global competitor.
Investment will be sourced from the National Wealth Fund which will support defence companies, and in turn stimulate growth for the technology and financial industries as well as supporting trade unions. This defence investment aims to support UK businesses by creating new munitions and energetics factories, allowing for money to be put back into the UK’s own economy through producing its own weapons without relying on other nations.
Working alongside the US and Australia under AUKUS, the UK aims to utilise AI and cyber developments in order to maximise its sovereign capabilities. Not only will this initiative support growth, but it will generate an estimated 30,000 British jobs, further supporting the UK workforce. This will work in conjunction with the Modern Industrial Strategy to prioritise crucial industries and maximise the potential of the United Kingdom.
The UK also seeks to develop technologies and industries which will allow it to achieve an asymmetric advantage over competitor nations, committing £86 billion to the research and development of these advancements and aiming to expand the sovereign capacity by 20 times by 2030.
The Security Strategy acknowledges the capabilities which can be provided by AI and aims to use these to achieve these advantages. The Strategy pledges the creation of AI Growth Zones in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre in order to expand AI infrastructure on UK soil, reducing the dependence of the UK on other nations at such a turbulent time.
There is also recognition of the need for innovation in terms of environmental concerns, with the maintenance of Sir David Attenborough’s scientific presence in Antarctica, allowing for the continued collection of climate data.
Final Thoughts
In an uncertain time, the NSS 2025 seeks to implement plans which will protect British people and British interests, as well as increase sovereign capability to develop independence in overreliant industries like AI and energy generation.
Delivering a stronger border and tackling crime at the borders, the Security Survey will allow for the evolution of both public and private sectors through the support of UK-based factories and businesses via various methods of funding. The development of sovereign capabilities heavily depends on the cooperation of the British public, and if successful, will not only unite the nation under the common goal of national security but also result in heightened public vigilance and awareness of the struggles which we face in the current geopolitical landscape.
However, it should be recognised (especially regarding sovereign independence) that achieving independence in the industries of AI and quantum computing may be difficult, and it should be expected that while the UK can increase its own capabilities in some areas, it will remain dependent on other nations for technological developments like these. Similarly, the UK will struggle to gain complete independence from importing communications and energy.
Despite this, the National Security Strategy, alongside adjacent policies like the Industrial Strategy, is a step in the right direction for the achievement of a stable and secure Britain.
