Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ordered security chiefs to begin establishing a new National Centre for Information Defence to combat disinformation and hostile-state attacks against Britain.
Mr Burnham announced the initiative during his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, warning that foreign powers were mounting an “industrial-scale assault” on the information environment.
The planned centre will be tasked with detecting, attributing and disrupting hostile information operations intended to damage British interests or undermine democracy.
“Today I am tasking our security chiefs to begin work on a new National Centre for Information Defence — to detect, attribute and disrupt these kinds of hostile state information attacks — to support and defend our democracy,” the Prime Minister said.
Centre is being developed, not yet operational
The announcement begins the process of creating the centre. It does not mean that a fully staffed agency is already operating.
The Government has not yet published a launch date, budget, location or complete governance structure. Those details are expected to be developed by security officials as they determine how the new organisation will work alongside existing intelligence, policing and cybersecurity bodies.
Initial reporting indicates that the centre will bring together intelligence agencies, law enforcement and technology companies, including social-media platforms, to coordinate the response to foreign information attacks.
Its proposed remit will include identifying the state or proxy responsible for a campaign, exposing manipulated narratives and disrupting the digital infrastructure used to spread them.
Burnham singles out Russian operations
Mr Burnham used Russia as the clearest example of the threat, accusing its agencies and proxies of using bots, fake websites and fabricated material to spread false information and weaken public confidence.
He said Britain had evidence of attempted Russian interference in the 2019 general election and warned that artificial intelligence would make hostile campaigns faster, cheaper and more convincing.
AI-generated images, audio and video can be used to produce deepfakes which imitate political figures, military personnel or public officials. Automated accounts can then distribute that content on a scale which would previously have required large numbers of people.
The Prime Minister said democratic governments had a duty to stem what he called the “poisonous tide” of foreign disinformation rather than leaving individual citizens and private companies to confront it alone.
Builds on new state-threat powers
The initiative follows the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, which strengthened the Government’s ability to designate and disrupt organisations involved in hostile activity on behalf of foreign powers.
Official guidance defines state threats as harmful overt or covert actions by foreign governments which fall short of direct armed conflict but go beyond peaceful diplomacy. The Government lists espionage, sabotage, disinformation, cyber operations and political interference among the principal threats.
The legislation introduced proscription-style powers against state-linked organisations and offences concerning support for designated bodies. The new centre is intended to address the information and coordination side of the threat rather than replacing those criminal powers.
Ministers will face pressure to explain how disruption activity will be authorised and scrutinised. Countering covert foreign operations must also be clearly distinguished from restricting lawful political disagreement, journalism or criticism of the Government.
AI increases scale of information threat
Mr Burnham linked the centre to his wider argument that governments must cooperate over the opportunities and dangers created by artificial intelligence.
He wants Britain to use its presidency of the G20 in 2027 to pursue common international principles and standards for advanced AI. The Prime Minister argued that shared safeguards could encourage innovation while reducing security risks and deliberate misuse.
That approach contrasts with the position adopted by Donald Trump. Addressing the same UN gathering, the US President rejected attempts to construct what he described as a global system for controlling advanced AI and said America would encourage the technology rather than rein it in.
Britain and the United States are simultaneously deepening their practical defence-AI partnership, illustrating that the two governments can cooperate on military technology while disagreeing about wider international regulation.
Operational questions remain
The National Centre for Information Defence represents a new coordination initiative, but its effectiveness will depend upon the powers, expertise and resources ultimately assigned to it.
Further government announcements will be needed to establish which department will be accountable for the centre, how intelligence will be shared with technology companies and what independent oversight will apply.
For now, Mr Burnham has set the objective and instructed security chiefs to develop the organisation. The centre’s detailed design and timetable have not yet been confirmed.
Sources
- The Guardian: New UK centre to tackle hostile-state information warfare
- Sky News: Burnham announces National Centre for Information Defence
- UK Government: National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 guidance
- UK legislation: National Security (State Threats) Act 2026
- Downing Street: UK-EU talks on hybrid warfare and disinformation