UK to Launch National Centre to Counter State-Backed Disinformation

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans for a new National Centre for Information Defence, aimed at tackling disinformation from hostile states. Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly, Burnham said the UK wants to share its expertise with other nations facing similar challenges as more elections approach across Europe.

The initiative, still in early planning stages, could bring together efforts currently spread across multiple government departments, intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies. The Cabinet Office is understood to be leading initial work, though details on how the centre will ultimately operate remain unclear.

The announcement comes amid growing concern in Europe about Russian-linked hybrid campaigns combining cyberattacks, sabotage and influence operations. Experts have also warned that artificial intelligence is making disinformation campaigns cheaper and easier to run, with state-linked actors reportedly using largely autonomous AI systems for such operations. One analyst welcomed the move but cautioned that a centre based within the Cabinet Office would be less effective than an independent agency accountable to Parliament.