18 June 2025
The UK government is reportedly planning to broaden the scope of its upcoming National Security Review (NSR), set to be published next week, to include a wider array of spending categories.
According to The Telegraph, this expanded definition would encompass not only traditional defense elements like a potential third runway at Heathrow Airport but also critical infrastructure such as food prices and rural broadband initiatives — including schemes like the £5 billion Project Gigabit.
This move could potentially facilitate reaching higher defense spending targets — possibly aiming for 5% of GDP in the future — by effectively counting more areas under the umbrella of national security. Currently, the UK spends around 2.33% of GDP on defense, with projections to reach about 3% by around 2029. Since telecommunications networks are already recognized as part of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), including broadband and mobile networks under the security umbrella isn’t entirely new.
The Spring Statement 2025 also announced a £2.2 billion increase in the Ministry of Defence budget for 2025/26, part of the commitment to elevate NATO-qualifying defense expenditure to over 2.5% of GDP by 2027 — though NATO discussions now suggest a possible target of 3.5% by 2032. While investing in broadband and mobile infrastructure arguably contributes to national resilience — given society’s reliance on digital connectivity — many may question whether such spending truly fits within the traditional concept of national security, which typically emphasizes military assets like soldiers, tanks, and drones.
There’s a concern that this redefinition risks stretching the term ‘national security’ too far, potentially blurring lines between strategic defense and broader societal investments. Some speculate it could be a form of ‘creative accounting,’ aimed at making overall security spending appear more substantial without necessarily delivering direct benefits in terms of defense capabilities.
