Speaking to the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom will establish a National Centre for Information Defence to "detect, attribute and disrupt" hostile information operations that have targeted the UK and its allies in recent years.
Burnham warned that "industrial‑scale assault by hostile actors" has been waged against the British information environment, citing Russian agencies that have used every means at their disposal to spread lies, prey on public fears and allegedly interfered in the 2019 general election, echoing earlier accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the concern on BBC Radio 4, describing a world where "the public finds it hard to separate fact from fiction, propaganda from reality" as dangerous for democracy, and said the new centre will "mobilise trusted voices across civil society" to counter such threats.
Burnham also highlighted the growing danger posed by artificial intelligence, saying AI will amplify disinformation and cyber attacks. He announced a UK‑US AI defence partnership to detect cyber‑attacks on critical infrastructure and pledged that Britain will take the lead in shaping global AI standards at the UN.
Security chiefs have been tasked with beginning work on the centre immediately, with the expectation that it will support upcoming elections across Europe by countering foreign influence and far‑right narratives that Russia is alleged to amplify.