Burnham: Center to be established to combat disinformation and deepfake content from ...

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the country would have to enter the decade with "eyes wide open" when it came to "insidious" campaigns, many of which he said were orchestrated by Russia, that were "distorting" the way people perceive their own country and community.

Security officials will establish a new national center to combat disinformation and deepfake content from hostile states like Russia, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced, stating that the government has an obligation to "stop the toxic wave" that threatens British interests, the British newspaper The Guardian reports today.

The National Information Defense Center will be tasked with "detecting, tracing and countering" information attacks by foreign powers, many of which are enabled by the use of artificial intelligence, and will bring together intelligence agencies, law enforcement agencies and companies that operate social networks, the Guardian reports in an article on its portal.

The centre will be tasked with ensuring that the UK has the defence capabilities necessary to counter information warfare, as well as strengthening societal resilience by helping communities recognise and counter disinformation and thus prevent the spread of a "distorted and untrue" image of the UK.

Burnham said the country would have to enter the decade with "eyes wide open" when it came to "insidious" campaigns, many of which he said were orchestrated by Russia and which "distorted" the way people perceived their own country and community.

In statements, the Prime Minister suggested that Britons facing high living costs, as well as young people not in education, training or employment, could be particularly vulnerable to foreign influence online, stressing that inequality further weakens society.

Speaking at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday night, Burnham said: "We are talking an insidious campaign that is entering people's homes and changing the way they experience their own country and community - creating a narrative of decline, fuelling division and sowing hopelessness. On top of that, we have seen cyberattacks on our companies and institutions. We know that artificial intelligence will multiply the threat. We have been cautiously sidestepping this problem for too long. Over the past decade, we have given too much space to those who want to spread a negative and destructive narrative life in Britain, which has nothing to do with reality. Well, that is over. We will enter the new decade differently - with our eyes wide open. We will defend our values ​​and the rule of law much more resolutely. And we will help our citizens strengthen their resilience - because in the face of this kind of information warfare, security begins in every ."

Bernama's speech came after United States President Donald Trump - during a press conference at the United Nations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - said that former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's rhetoric towards Moscow was "too harsh" and that London "has to be a little more careful."

Downing Street rejected the US president's statements, stating that all British prime ministers, including Bernama, have consistently taken the position that Russian threats, whether in terms of hybrid attacks or rhetoric, are "outrageous and unacceptable."

"The United Kingdom stands united with its allies on the importance of our defense, and Russian aggression will not deter us from supporting Ukraine," the British Prime Minister's official spokesman added.

In his speech, Burnham specifically singled out Russia, stating that the Kremlin spends around £1,3 billion annually on manipulating information.

"Russian services have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and exploit people's fears. They have used bots and fake websites. They have falsified newspaper articles. They have forged the visual identities of 28 British organisations – including universities and the BBC. They have amplified far-right narratives. And we have evidence that they have tried to interfere in the 2019 general election. We also know that they have tried to incite tensions and unrest in the wake of horrific events. The very idea that anyone would try to exploit such events to their advantage is simply disgusting – but that is exactly what they are doing," he said.

The British Prime Minister suggested that certain groups of people who feel their lives are not improving may be more vulnerable to disinformation and deepfake content, according to the Guardian.

"If you are struggling with the high cost of living and your life is not improving – or if you are a young person who is not employed, not involved in education or training – you will be much more vulnerable to this kind of impact. So part of the challenge is to improve the situation of our citizens and create the opportunities they need. When inequalities become too great, our societies are more at risk. So we will work to make life more accessible. And we will put in place the systems we need to stop this toxic wave," he said.

The United Kingdom plans to its experience as a target of information attacks with other countries, and has already, for example, provided support to Moldova in protecting its elections from Russian interference, according to the Guardian.

"As new elections approach across Europe, more and more countries are facing these issues – some for the first time. That's why we are ready to our insights into how these actors operate and how we can respond – because it is crucial to our shared security and resilience," added Burnham.

Emily Thornberry, Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "I am delighted that the Prime Minister has announced the establishment of a new centre to tackle the threat of disinformation, which was a key recommendation of the Foreign Affairs Committee in its March 2026 report on diplomacy and disinformation. For too long, successive governments have had a disjointed and disorganised approach to the problem of disinformation, allowing states like Russia to spread lies this country, deepen divisions and stoke tensions. The new National Information Defence Centre is an opportunity to finally take a serious stand against this threat."