Command of His Majesty
National Security is the first responsibility of any government, that never changes. But as the world changes, the way we discharge that responsibility must change with it. And the world has changed. Russian aggression menaces our continent. Strategic competition is intensifying. Extremist ideologies are on the rise. Technology is transforming the nature of both war and domestic security. Hostile state activity takes place on British soil. It is an era of radical uncertainty, and we must navigate it with agility, speed and a clear-eyed sense of the national interest. That is what keeping the British people safe demands. This document sets out our strategy. We are guided by our values and our history.
The United Kingdom is a founding member of NATO and I am immensely proud that it was a Labour government that played a role in its creation. We are a champion of collective security on our continent and beyond. Together with our allies, we have shown that strength remains the only effective response towards tyrants like Putin. And we stand unashamedly for freedom, democracy and internationalism.
In a world where these values come under attack, our resolve is even more important. Cooperation is in the national interest; our alliances must be deepened. This is why I have been so determined to repair the United Kingdom’s international standing. Our reputation as a stable partner was damaged by the previous government’s chaos.
We have restored it because it is essential for our national security. Yet from that great post-war period, we should also now recall three lessons that are fundamental to our national security today. First, that foreign policy should answer directly to the concerns of working people.
After all, the challenges we face already impact their lives. Wars drive up their bills. Cyber-attacks undermine their public services. Criminals smuggle illegal migrants across our borders. The lesson is clear: delivering my Plan for Change requires us to bring foreign and domestic policy together.
Second, that collective security, led by NATO, remains the cornerstone of our strategy. Our alliances remain robust, but for both their ongoing health and our own national interest we must now increase the sovereign strengths that underpin our national security.
Third, that nations are strongest when they are bound together by a shared purpose. One look at the world today shows the security challenges we face demand nothing less than national unity.
Therefore, it is no longer enough merely to manage risks or react to new circumstances. We must also now mobilise every element of society towards a collective national effort.
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