INTEGRATED REVIEW CONSULTATION BELIES ‘OPEN SOCIETIES’ RHETORIC (09 Dec 2021)
A new briefing paper from Rethinking Security and the United Nations Association UK (UNA-UK) analyses the external consultation that was supposed to inform this year’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy and concludes that in important respects it marks a new low in attempts to engage society with foreign and security policy.
This briefing compares the practice of the Integrated Review with previous security reviews, drawing on published methodologies and information gained from a series of Freedom of Information requests. Looking at public consultation, engagement with external expertise, and engagement with Parliament, it aims to inform better practice and contribute to Rethinking Security’s Alternative Security Review project.
PUBLIC LAUNCH OF ALTERNATIVE SECURITY REVIEW (18 Nov 2021)
Rethinking Security will host an online event to launch their Alternative Security Review, on Thurs 18th Nov at 5.30pm.
Following the failure of world leaders to take decisive action at COP26 to avert climate disaster, this event will hear from speakers who will spell out the ways in which we in the UK can change our understanding and approach to security to develop strategies focussed on human and ecological security.
Speakers include Baroness Natalie Bennett (Greens), Anya Nanning Ramamurthy (UK Student Climate Network), Clive Lewis MP (Labour) tbc and Richard Reeve (Rethinking Security). It will be chaired by Natalie Samarasinghe, CEO of UNA-UK.
GLOBAL BRITAIN 80 YEARS AFTER THE ATLANTIC CHARTER (13 Aug 2021)
Saturday 14th August marks the 80th anniversary of the original Atlantic Charter. Agreed in the thick of war by Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt, this sketched out a common UK-US position on rebuilding and reordering the world after the cataclysm of the Second World War.
In a new article for Rethinking Security, Richard Reeve looks into the New Atlantic Charter signed by Boris Johnson and Joe Biden in June and finds a gaping hole where the original Charter’s commitment to delegitimise use of force once stood.
HUMAN SECURITY AND THE INTEGRATED REVIEW (12 April 2021)
Rethinking Security welcomes tomorrow’s House of Commons debate on Global Human Security and has published a briefing for parliamentarians, civil society and media to explain how global human security could and should be promoted in the operationalisation of the government’s recent Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Human Security and the Integrated Review explains what the approach means, how it has developed and been adopted by various actors, including the UK government, and how the Integrated Review and other recent UK national security strategies have fallen short of promoting human security at home or abroad.
INTEGRATED REVIEW BLIND TO ITS CONTRADICTIONS (16 March 2021)
Today the Prime Minister released his government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security practitioners, analysts and activists, made efforts to engage with the Integrated Review throughout its work. It has also engaged extensively with parliamentarians and select committees on their approaches to the Review.
Rethinking Security’s approach has been to encourage the widest possible consultation process with the people of the UK and to animate policy-makers to take a different approach to security policy, prioritising human security and the sustainable wellbeing of people and planet.
RETHINKING SECURITY ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE SECURITY REVIEW (15 Mar 2021)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security practitioners, analysts and activists, has launched a project to develop a Human Security Strategy for the UK. Its Alternative Security Review project aims to change the way that UK security policy is generated, based on an approach that promotes peace, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability.
The new project builds on Rethinking Security’s year-long engagement with the Integrated Review and several years of work analysing the process and content of national security reviews and strategies in the UK and over 20 other countries.
HUMAN SECURITY AND THE INTEGRATED REVIEW (09 March 2021)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security practitioners, today publishes a briefing for parliamentarians, civil society and media to explain how human security should be at the heart of the government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, due to be launched on Tuesday 11th March.
Human Security and the Integrated Review explains what the approach means, how it has developed and been adopted by various actors, including the UK government, and how past UK national security strategies have failed to uphold it, with calamitous consequences for our health security and the viability of our ecosystem.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING DECISIONS ON DEFENCE AND DEVELOPMENT UNDERMINE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY (18 Nov 2020)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security experts today criticised the Government’s apparent decision to grant an exceptional four-year increase to the Ministry of Defence’s budget while other government departments face swingeing cuts and long-term uncertainty.
Our Coordinator Richard Reeve said, “The government’s spending calculus is a retrograde step that would reverse two decades of rebalancing from defence to development, coercion to cooperation. The Integrated Review is disintegrating before our eyes.”
GOVERNMENT WRONG TO MERGE FOREIGN AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS (16 June 2020)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security experts, today criticised the Government’s decision to shake up Whitehall with a merger of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID).
Our Coordinator, Richard Reeve, said: “Tackling poverty and inequality are crucial steps in reducing insecurity and conflict. DFID has been world-leading in its focus on conflict prevention; its loss risks aid spending being diverted to narrowly defined security and trade objectives rather than global wellbeing.”
GOVERNMENT DELAY TO SECURITY REVIEW IS OPPORTUNITY FOR RADICAL CHANGE (15 April 2020)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security experts, today welcomed the postponement of the Government’s planned Integrated Security Review in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Coordinator, Richard Reeve, said: “We have always said that there should be a period of public consultation before the review begins. Now, more than ever, citizens want to have their say on what security looks like, and how we can work together to build positive peace.”
EXPERTS DEMAND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT’S NEW SECURITY REVIEW (26 February 2020)
Rethinking Security, a network of peace and security experts, today called on the Government to adopt an inclusive approach to reviewing and renewing the UK’s security policy. Welcoming the announcement of an Integrated Review of UK foreign policy, defence, security and international development, they called on the Prime Minister to listen to the views of peace practitioners, victims of global conflict and ordinary British citizens.
The experts warned the Government not to miss the opportunity to define what security means, including an honest assessment of whose security and how progress can be measured.
RETHINKING SECURITY WELCOMES NEW COORDINATOR, RICHARD REEVE (28 August 2019)
Peace and security network Rethinking Security today announced its new Coordinator will be Richard Reeve.
Richard’s current role is Chief Executive of Oxford Research Group, one of Rethinking Security’s affiliate organisations.
He will join Rethinking Security on 28 October 2019.
Richard said:
‘I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Coordinator at Rethinking Security.
‘The current political environment is highlighting the UK’s approach to national and international security. Now is the time to understand and advocate for a new approach, one which addresses the underlying causes of insecurity and prioritises sustainable and lasting peace.
‘The Rethinking Security network is a well-established, enthusiastic and committed group of NGOs, academics and activists, which I have had the privilege of working with over the last four years.
‘I’m looking forward to supporting their work with Parliament, the media and the public to encourage conversations about how we can all work together to develop more human-centred and sustainable approaches to security.’
Outgoing Coordinator Celia McKeon said:
‘Rethinking Security is very lucky to have Richard as incoming Coordinator.
‘With an excellent grasp of both the issues and the network, I’ve no doubt that Richard will hit the ground running – and that his commitment and vision will be instrumental in taking Rethinking Security forward.’
EXPERTS DEMAND NEW CABINET RETHINK UK’S SECURITY APPROACH (25 July 2019)
In open letters to the Defence, International Development and Foreign Secretaries, we highlighted key actions to end the UK’s contribution to worldwide insecurity and violence. The letters called on the new ministers to rethink the government’s Global Britain agenda by prioritising a sustainable, collaborative approach to worldwide stability.
MORDAUNT SPEECH ‘OUTDATED THINKING’ – UK PEACE AND SECURITY EXPERTS (15 May 2019)
In response to Penny Mordaunt MP’s first speech as Defence Secretary:
‘Today’s speech confirms that the government’s vision for Global Britain relies heavily on an outdated assumption that the UK’s security and international influence can be achieved primarily by its military capabilities… We need an understanding that worldwide conflict and insecurity are shared problems to be solved, not expensive fights to be won.’
EXPERTS DEMAND NEW MINISTERS RETHINK UK’S SECURITY APPROACH (2 May 2019)
On 2 May 2019 we wrote to Penny Mordaunt MP, Defence Secretary, and Rory Stewart MP, International Development Secretary, with our proposals for changes to the UK’s approach to security.