The UK government has introduced the National Security (State Threats) Bill to Parliament to grant the Home Secretary new powers to designate and disrupt foreign state-linked organisations and proxy groups. The legislation aims to counter hostile activities by foreign states using intermediaries to avoid responsibility for threats to UK security and democratic institutions.
The Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Prime Minister’s Office officially introduced the National Security (State Threats) Bill to Parliament on June 9. If the legislation receives parliamentary approval, the new powers could come into force as early as next month. Under the proposed law, individuals convicted of certain state-related offences could face prison sentences of up to 14 years.
Why is the UK government fast-tracking this legislation?
Ministers are accelerating the bill in response to a rise in hostile activity that they say has left certain communities, specifically British Jewish communities, feeling unsafe. The government cited a recent wave of antisemitic attacks and criminal damage against Jewish communities as primary reasons for the urgency of these new measures.
The government stated that foreign states are increasingly using indirect methods to carry out hostile acts on British soil. By using proxy groups, such as organised crime syndicates or state-linked organisations, these foreign actors attempt to evade direct responsibility for their actions. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that foreign states are becoming more aggressive by attacking communities and institutions while attempting to hide their tracks behind these proxies.
Beyond community safety, the bill aims to protect democratic institutions and public safety from foreign interference. The government noted that the threat landscape has become more varied, involving the targeting of dissidents and the use of intermediaries to mask state involvement in criminal or disruptive activities.
What new criminal offences does the bill introduce?
The National Security (State Threats) Bill establishes specific criminal offences designed to disrupt the operational capacity of foreign-backed groups. These offences focus on the relationship between individuals or organisations and the designated state-linked entities.
The proposed legal framework includes three primary categories of offences:
- Support offences: It will be a criminal offence to express support for a designated organisation, which includes the glorification of activities that threaten the security of the United Kingdom.
- Assistance offences: The bill targets anyone who provides help or assistance to a designated organisation in carrying out hostile activity.
- Payment offences: It will be illegal to receive payment from a designated organisation, a measure intended to cut off the financial lifelines used by foreign states to outsource hostile work to proxy groups.
These measures are designed to mirror offences found in the National Security Act 2023. This alignment allows police and intelligence agencies to treat designated proxy groups with the same legal weight as foreign intelligence services, providing more robust tools for prosecution when state involvement is covert.
How much is the UK investing to counter state threats?
The government is pairing the new legislative powers with increased financial and operational resources. Ministers confirmed a record £600 million in additional funding to support national security work and to help the UK respond to the growing complexity of foreign state activity.
This funding is intended to bolster the capabilities of intelligence agencies and frontline police officers. The government also highlighted new training programmes for police officers to better identify and respond to state-linked threats within local communities.
The scale of the threat is reflected in recent intelligence data. According to MI5, investigations into state threats increased by 35% as of last year. Furthermore, the government reported that MI5 tracked 20 potentially lethal plots linked to Iran during the previous year alone. These figures underscore the government’s position that state-backed aggression on UK soil is both increasing and becoming more sophisticated through the use of proxies.
How does this bill compare to the National Security Act 2023?
The National Security (State Threats) Bill is not a standalone replacement for existing law but rather an expansion of the framework established by the National Security Act 2023. While the 2023 Act provided a foundation for addressing foreign interference, the new bill specifically targets the “proxy” loophole.
The following table outlines the relationship between the existing legislation and the proposed new bill:
| Feature | National Security Act 2023 | National Security (State Threats) Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Objective | Establish general protections against foreign interference. | Target foreign state-linked organisations and proxy groups. |
| Legal Status | Currently in force. | Awaiting parliamentary approval. |
| Key Mechanism | Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. | Home Secretary’s power to designate organisations. |
| Operational Goal | Increase transparency of foreign influence. | Disrupt hostile activity conducted via intermediaries. |
The new bill builds upon the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which was introduced to increase transparency regarding covert influence in UK democracy. By combining these tools, the government intends to create a multi-layered defence that covers both overt influence and covert, state-sponsored proxy activity.
What happens next for the bill?
The National Security (State Threats) Bill must now undergo the parliamentary approval process. This includes scrutiny by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The government has indicated that the Home Secretary may be able to use the new powers immediately upon the bill becoming law if she determines that such action is necessary to protect national security.
Official updates regarding the progress of the bill through Parliament will be made available via the UK Parliament website and official government communications from the Home Office.
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