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Subject

The United Kingdom's new National Security Strategy (NSS).

Significance

The new National Security Strategy (NSS), published in late November alongside the quinquennial Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and comprehensive spending review, reaffirms previous UK government analyses of the international security environment. However, the government's approach is now more confident and proactive, backed by significant new commitments and expenditure. The NSS places cyber and intelligence capabilities centre stage, including a readiness to use offensive cyber capabilities.

Impacts

The NSS has no analysis of possible 'Brexit' implications; release of any such official analysis could be an issue before the EU referendum.

Unlike the 2010 version, the new NSS implicitly identifies Russia as a state threat, potentially shaping UK behaviour in NATO and the EU.

Despite a new overseas aid strategy, the relatively large scale of UK aid will remain controversial among some on the political right.

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