China, Russia, Iran and North Korea may seek to interfere in Britain’s general election, senior MPs and peers warned as they called for last-minute action by MI5 and other security agencies to thwart these states from doing so.
In a letter addressed to Rishi Sunak, Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) stressed that the UK has experienced a “pattern of attempted foreign interference”.
Committee chairwoman Dame Margaret Beckett wrote: “Despite public Government statements on the threat from hostile foreign actors such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, it is not clear if members of the public fully understand how these threats will manifest and what this means for the UK, its democracy and for them as individuals.”
She emphasised that this was why the JCNSS was sounding the alarm over the danger posed by such countries.
The letter highlights that the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) noted in 2023 that the Government determined it is “almost certain that Russian actors sought to interfere in the 2019 general election”.
“The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) subsequently pointed to precedent for China seeking to influence democratic processes overseas,” the letter adds.
“It is our view that the UK must be prepared for the possibility of foreign interference during the General Election that will take place on the 4 July 2024,” it stresses.
Dame Margaret said the JCNSS had “considered a number of ways hostile actors may seek to exploit divisions and weaknesses” during the election period.
These include cyber-attacks, the targeting of political candidates to retrieve sensitive information for exploitation, the spread of disinformation online and capitalising on controversial or politicised topics where there are already “domestic divides” in order to sow further division.
The committee also warned of the increasing use of “deep fakes”, including to target London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
It called for MI5, the police and other security agencies to be step in to increase defences against attempted interference and scams targeting the election.
“We call on you as Prime Minister to use the last few days of this Parliament to bring Government, political parties, and electoral and security agencies together to identify any last actions that can be taken collectively in the national interest,” wrote Dame Margaret.
The committee identified several methods the Government could use to help “safeguard” against these threats, including public education on spotting disinformation (such as artificial intelligence deep fakes) and prioritising the safety of elected politicians.
Dame Margaret said the committee has published the letter in an effort to “contribute to a vital public conversation in the lead-up to the General Election”, as “it is not clear if members of the public fully understand how these threats will manifest and what this means for the UK, its democracy and them as individuals”.
She added the General Election “is a crucial test... of the Government’s preparations to safeguard the electoral processes that epitomise our democratic ideals”
A government spokesperson said: "Security is paramount and we are well prepared to ensure the integrity of the election with robust systems in place to protect against interference.
“That is why we set up the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which brings together all levels of government. Since its formation, the taskforce has established a new election security unit, rolled out an enhanced cyber security offer for MPs and peers, and announced £31million to protect our democratic processes and institutions.”
He added: “The National Security Act has additionally delivered a range of measures to strengthen the UK’s efforts to detect, deter and disrupt state threats.”
