ANDY Burnham has announced a new unit to tackle online misinformation as he warned the UK is facing an “industrial-scale assault” from hostile states including Russia.
The Prime Minister said security chiefs had been ordered to begin work on a National Centre for Information Defence, which will aim to “detect, attribute and disrupt” hostile state information attacks.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has insisted the new unit will not be used for “policing domestic political dissent”, saying people must remain free to challenge and criticise the UK Government.
Burnham announced the plans during his first address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he accused Russian agencies of using bots, fake websites, falsified newspaper articles and other methods to spread disinformation.
He said: “Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people’s fear.
“They’ve used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles.
“Forged the branding of 28 British organisations – including universities and the BBC.
“They’ve amplified far-right narratives.
“And we have evidence that they tried to interfere with the 2019 general election.
“We also know that they have tried to stoke tensions and unrest in the wake of horrific events.
“The idea that anyone would try to use such things to their advantage is just repulsive – but it is what they do.”
Russia has previously been accused of using illicitly acquired documents relating to UK-US trade talks in an attempt to influence the 2019 General Election.
Burnham said the Kremlin spends around £1.3 billion each year manipulating information and warned artificial intelligence could increase the threat facing the UK.
He said: “We’re talking about an insidious campaign that reaches into people’s homes and twists what they feel about their own country and community – creating a narrative of decline, stoking division and sowing despair.
“On top of that, we have seen cyber-attacks on our companies and institutions. And we know that AI will multiply the threat.”
The new centre will initially be led from the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet and is expected to work alongside intelligence agencies, government departments, police and social media companies.
Asked why a new body was needed, Streeting said the threats facing the UK were now “of a different order of magnitude” compared with historic propaganda campaigns.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Because the level of threat we face and the way in which those risks materialise are of a different order of magnitude than the historic challenges of propaganda that have existed over many decades and many conflicts.”
Streeting said the Government wanted to help people “separate fact from fiction”, something he said had become “extremely challenging in the new world of AI”.
The Defence Secretary pointed to a false audio clip purporting to show him using foul language about Gaza which circulated on social media ahead of the 2024 General Election.
He warned: “Come the next general election, it will be hard to discern the real versions of politicians and BBC presenters from the artificial versions.”
Streeting rejected suggestions the new centre could be used to target political dissent.
“We’re not interested in policing domestic political dissent,” he told GB News.
“One of the great things about Britain, and one of the things that I have a responsibility to defend, is the freedom and democracy that we all enjoy.
“And that includes the freedom to disagree, the freedom for people to challenge their government, to challenge government policy, to criticise robustly what we are doing and then to have the opportunity to choose a different government.”
Burnham suggested people struggling financially and young people who are not in employment, education or training could be particularly vulnerable to foreign disinformation.
He said: “If you’re struggling with the cost of living and your life is not improving – or if you’re a young person not in employment, education or training – then you are going to be much more vulnerable to this kind of influence.”
Burnham said tackling inequality and creating economic opportunities would therefore form part of the Government's response.
He added: “We have tiptoed around this for too long.
“Over the last decade we have given too much ground to those who want to run a negative, corrosive narrative about life in Britain, which bears no resemblance to reality. Well, no more.
“We are going to face the new decade in a different way – with our eyes wide open.
“We are going to be much prouder in standing up for our values and the rule of law.”
Burnham added the UK had already supported Moldova in protecting its elections from Russian interference and would offer its expertise to other European countries facing similar threats.
“As more elections approach across Europe, more nations are grappling with these issues – some for the first time,” he said.
“So we’re ready to share our understanding of how these actors work, and how we can respond – because this is vital for our collective security and resilience.”
