Parliamentary Briefings
JUNE 2024: GENERAL ELECTION 2024: FIVES ISSUES FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE SECURITY
This briefing frames five questions that you can ask your parliamentary candidates, or newly elected MPs, in relation to critical security issues of our day. While these might shape your decision of who to vote for, they can also be the start of an ongoing conversation that can help to shape attitudes and action over the next parliament.
Dec 2021: Open Society, Closed Conversations: External Consultation and the Integrated Review
We published a briefing paper with UNA-UK on external consultation conducted as part of the 2020-21 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. The 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.
April 2021: Human Security and the Integrated Review
Ahead of a Westminster Hall debate on Global Human Security in the House of Commons on 13 April 2021, we published an updated briefing for parliamentarians on Human Security and the Integrated Review. The short primer explains what human security is, who has embraced the approach, and how the term has been used or side-stepped by the UK government in its security strategies, including the Integrated Review. It includes four new recommendations on how the operationalisation of the Review might better promote human security.
Older Briefings
- Briefing on General Election 2019 Key Issues (Dec 2019): As global power relations shift, security needs a rethink: read our key issues for debate during the election campaign.
- Briefing on Reframing UK Security Strategy (March 2018): Read our briefing on reframing UK Security Strategy
- Parliamentary Briefing on UK Security Strategy (June 2017): Read our briefing on the shortcomings of UK security strategy
Evidence Submissions
SEPTEMBER 2025: EVIDENCE SUBMISSION TO THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
On 17 September 2025 we submitted evidence to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy of the UK Parliament on the National Security Strategy 2025.
SEPTEMBER 2024: EVIDENCE SUBMISSION TO THE STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW 2024
In September 2024 we submitted evidence to the Reviewers of the Strategic Defence Review, initiated by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence.
November 2023: Evidence Submission to the Liaison Sub-Committee on Scrutiny of Strategic Thinking in Government
On 30 November 2023 we submitted evidence to the Liaison Sub-Committee of the House of Commons on Scrutiny of Strategic Thinking in Government.
April 2023: Evidence submission to the MOD on the Defence Command Paper Refresh
On 14 April 2023 we submitted evidence to the Secretary of State for Defence’s Office of Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC) in relation to its updating of its Defence Command Paper (Defence white paper of March 2021) and the future direction of UK defence.
November 2022: Evidence Submission to the Foreign Affairs Committee
On 28 November 2022 we submitted evidence to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in relation to its inquiry into the Update to the UK’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development & Foreign Policy.
October 2021: Evidence Submission to the Defence Committee
On 04 October 2021 we submitted evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee on its inquiry into the US, UK and NATO.
February 2021: Evidence submission to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy
On 15 February 2021 we submitted evidence to the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy’s inquiry into National Security Machinery.
September 2020: Evidence submission to the Integrated Review
On 03 September 2020 we submitted the following evidence to the government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. We focused on making the case for an approach based on principles of Human Security, Shared Security and Planetary Security rather than competitive geopolitics and narrow national security. We were also able to make more specific input to the Conflict and Development aspect of the Review through engagement via DFID during August.
June 2020: Submission to Labour Party National Policy Forum
In June 2020 we made a submission to the Labour Party’s International Policy Commission, which is responsible for setting the party’s policy on foreign affairs, international development, defence and Britain’s future relationship with Europe. We used our permitted 600 words to promote the principle of Shared Security as a framework for the UK’s approach to ‘national security’ policy-making.
Rethinking Security is independent of all political parties and seeks to work with all parties to help shape progressive change in UK security and foreign policies.
April 2020: Evidence submission to the International Development Committee
On 30 April 2020 we submitted evidence to the House of Commons International Development Committee on its inquiry into the Effectiveness of UK aid.
April 2020: Evidence submission to the Defence Committee
On 07 April 2020 we submitted evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee on its inquiry into the Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review.
Policy Discussions
MAY 2025: EFFECTIVE PEACE AND SECURITY APPROACHES FOR THE UK IN A VOLATILE WORLD
On 01 May 2025, in association with the British International Studies Association and the King’s College London Centre for Statecraft and National Security, Rethinking Security convened a day-long roundtable of over 30 scholars, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss challenges and opportunities for UK peace and security policy as the government drafted a new National Security Strategy. An anonymised summary of the roundtable is provided here.
SEPTEMBER 2024: DOES THE NEW GOVERNMENT’S STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW OFFER A WINDOW FOR RETHINKING UK DEFENCE POLICY?
On 13 September 2024, the British International Studies Association’s (BISA) new Security Policy and Practice working group hosted a ‘Dialogue on the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review’, supported by Rethinking Security. Over 50 scholars, plus experts working with parliamentary committees, NGOs and think tanks, joined the session. This article captures key points from the discussion while respecting the Chatham House Rule.
April 2023: Roundtable on ‘Navigating Strategic Issues in UK Security Policy’
On 20 April 2023, in association with Bradford University Department of Peace Studies, we organised a full-day roundtable event in London that brought together 24 academics, policy-makers (from FCDO and MoD-SONAC) and civil society experts to discuss the latest Integrated Review Refresh and the strategic challenges for UK security policy in the run-up to an anticipated new strategy in 2025.
December 2019: Report on Workshop: ‘Radically Rethinking UK Security Politics’
In December 2019 academics from the Universities of York and Sussex convened a workshop in York under the title Radically Rethinking UK Security Politics. Rethinking Security was delighted to have been involved in the planning for that workshop and to have participated in it alongside representatives from some of our member organisations and many others from academia and civil society committed to challenging the orthodoxies of UK security culture and policy.
Open Letters
November 2022: Letter to PM Rishi Sunak on the Integrated Review ‘Refresh’
On 16 November we wrote to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ask him to provide details of the terms of reference and timetable of the updating or ‘refresh’ of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy that his predecessor began in September 2022. We reminded him of the government’s commitment to consult externally on this.
July 2020: Letter on Consultation for the Integrated Review
On 07 July 2020 we wrote to Alex Ellis, the Deputy National Security Adviser with responsibility for the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy to request clarity on how the government’s recently revived national security strategy review process would engage with the views of civil society. We received a response on 03 August 2020.
March 2020: Freedom of Information Request on NSS/SDSR Consultation
On 20 March 2020 we received a response from the Cabinet Office to our FoI request on which external organisations were consulted by UK Government in preparation for the 2015 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review. The circumstances of these consultations remain unclear and a number of the organisations cited have told us that they were not aware that they were being engaged in consultations on the NSS/SDSR.
March 2020: Letter to the Prime Minister on the Integrated Review
On 06 March we wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to remind him of his government’s commitment to improve external consultation around the recently announced (26 Feb) Integrated Review of foreign policy, security, defence and international development and to seek clarity on how that engagement would be conducted.
February 2020: Open letter to incoming Secretary of State
On 17 February 2020 we wrote to Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, International Development Secretary, with our proposals for changes to the UK’s approach to security.
- We also wrote to the incoming chairs of all Commons select committees who would eventually also be represented on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS), sending them a copy of our comparative analysis of 20 European and North American national security strategies.
July 2019: Open letters to incoming Secretaries of State
On 25 July 2019 we sent open letters to the Defence, International Development and Foreign Secretaries, highlighting 10 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.
Commentary
JULY 2025: COMMENTARY ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY 2025
On 24 June 2025 the UK government released its latest National Security Strategy, a day before formally committing to a new NATO military spending target that potentially doubled UK defence and security spending by 2035. Our response focused on the many process shortcomings in the Strategy’s generation, its occlusion of non-military risks to the UK and its people, and its apparent abandonment of international law and cooperation.
JUNE 2025: COMMENTARY ON THE STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW 2025
On 02 June 2025 the UK government released its Strategic Defence Review, ostensibly written by a panel of external Reviewers but fully endorsed by the Prime Minister, Treasury and Ministry of Defence. Our response focused on the unquestioned assumptions underlying the SDR and its doubling down on relations with the United States.
OCTOBER 2024: SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW
In July 2024 the new Labour government launched a Strategic Defence Review, the UK’s fifth in nine years. Richard Reeve drew on Rethinking Security’s evidence submission to the SDR to suggest ten ways that Reviewers should depart from their narrow script to begin a genuinely strategic, transformative approach to UK defence and global security.
JUNE 2024: GE2024: WHAT THE MANIFESTOS SAY ABOUT SECURITY
This article analyses the manifestos of the five largest political parties (Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, Reform UK) to assess why this 2024 was a ‘security election’ and what options the parties proposed to improve the UK’s international security.
JUNE 2024: ELECTION 2024: OPENING A NEW CONVERSATION ON SUSTAINABLE SECURITY
This article introduces our briefing on five urgent issues that anyone could use to open a conversation with parliamentary candidates on more sustainable approaches to security.
September 2023: Presentation at the Lib Dems Conference
On 26 September 2023, we presented some of the evidence from our Alternative Security Review and recommendations towards a Human Security Strategy for the UK at the Liberal Democrats Party Conference in Bournemouth. We subsequently published a summary article on how human and planetary security should inform the Lib Dems policy offering in 2024.
April 2023: Commentary on the Integrated Review Refresh
On 13 March 2023 the UK government released its Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a more volatile and contested world, shortly followed by an International Science and Technology Strategy. In our response, we focused on some of the Refresh’s gaps and its three big assumptions on international alliances, nuclear power, and technological transformation.
March 2021: Commentary on the Integrated Review
On 16 March 2021 the Prime Minister released the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. Our initial analysis of the Review focused on its failure to set priorities between often competing and contradictory objectives, not least its failure to meaningfully prioritise climate security, but found some hope in its attention to international cooperation.
February 2021: Engaging NATO on its approach to Human Security
In February 2021, to coincide with a NATO defence ministerial meeting to consider plans to renew the alliance’s strategic concept for the 2020s, we contributed an article on NATO and Human Security to a new volume published by NATO Watch. Prof Mary Kaldor, a member of our political engagement working group, was also a speaker at a public ‘digital dialogue on human security in NATO’ organised by NATO’s Human Security Unit on 25 February.
December 2020: UK Political Parties’ stances on National Security
One year after the 2019 general election, and in anticipation of the publication of the Integrated Review, we published a special briefing on the politics of military spending in the UK and how the three major parties were positioning themselves politically on the UK’s international role and influence.
March 2020: Advocating Shared Security for a Values-Based Foreign Policy
On 03 March an article advocating a Shared Security approach to the coming Integrated Review was included in a new volume published by Oxfam and the Foreign Policy Centre, Finding Britain’s role in a changing world: Building a values-based foreign policy. Written by RS Coordinator Richard Reeve and Conciliation Resources’ Jonathan Cohen and Teresa Dumasy, the article was included alongside others from, inter alia, Baroness Anelay, Theo Clarke MP, Tobias Ellwood MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Lord McConnell, and launched in the Houses of Parliament.