We're a network of organisations, academics & activists working together for sustainable, human security based on justice, co-operation and peace building.
Joined February 2020
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501 Photos and videos
As 'Tommy Robinson' & the Tate Bros visit Moscow...
What's the linkage between right-wing populist parties in Europe and support for Ukrainešŗš¦ or Russiaš·šŗ?
New public opinion research by Francesco Rigoli explores the psychology of populism & security.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦...
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Rethinking Security retweeted
Jun 12
Some key Qs that must be asked regarding defence spending and strategy.
Thanks to Richard Reeve @RethinkingSecu1 for these.
1. How can the UK radically and rapidly reduce its military dependence on the US?
[to put it politely, the SDR rather ducked this most obvious of issues]
2. What trade-offs in international posture and commitments may be required to refocus defence and deterrence on the UK and Europe?
[The NATO First (but not only) framing did address this but without much specifics on what should be cut elsewhere, some of which happened stealthily, as in the quiet withdrawal of naval presence from the Gulf.]
3. Is it justifiable to spend c.25% of the defence budget over the long term on the nuclear weapons programme [DNE]?
[This was ignored, as per the ToR of the SDR. Only in recent months has MoD given some public clarity on the vast cost of the DNE, e.g. to the PAC inquiry.]
4. How can new technologies with military application be harnessed but also controlled?
[The SDR was big on possibilities of new tech, but nothing on how to regulate it or the implications of acquiring it from the US, Israel, etc.]
5. How can broader societal resilience be built, maintained or defended?
[Thereāve been many allusions to this āwar-footingā in SDR and NSS, which wouldnāt be the state Iād be looking to achieve, but no plan ever emerged for the mooted national conversation that might engage and involve British people. Also no wider sense from a post-values HMG of what we defend and why.]
6. What is the politically and economically affordable cost of credibly deterring further aggression against Europe and/or the UK?
[Not the cost of defending; thatās a vastly more expensive wartime issue, and we are not at war.]
The UK government seems disinterested in a ānational conversationā on security that listens to the public's views on its own security. New research by Dr Tom Martin on UK public opinion reveals significant divisions among voters about threats & responses.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦
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Did you know that the UK spent 1/3 MORE on nuclear weapons last year than Russia?
Or almost the same as China?
Or double the combined estimated nuclear spending of India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea?
And the plan is to more than double that spending in real terms by 2035.
Jun 9
1/ How much public funds did the 9 nuclear armed states waste on nuclear weapons? At a time when the cost of living is soaring and millions struggle to afford food and fuel, this is outreageous.
Hear more from the authors @susisnyder and @azakre ā¬ļøš½ļø
#NuclearBan
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Rethinking Security retweeted
chathamhouse.org/2026/06/wilā¦
Drawing upon research conducted alongside myself and @maevecsryan, Jamie Gaskarth outlines 10 key questions to ask when looking at the Defence Investement Plan once published for @ChathamHouse
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Negotiated rapidly & in secret, AUKUS is among the most expensive, consequential & opaque deals in š¬š§ & š¦šŗ military history.
Ian Lowe reports on the launch of a new civil society-led public inquiry that aims to provide some much lacking scrutiny.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦
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The UK government seems disinterested in a ānational conversationā on security that listens to the public's views on its own security. New research by Dr Tom Martin on UK public opinion reveals significant divisions among voters about threats & responses.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦
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Today! at 4pm (UK/BST) / 5pm (Central European Time)
Who provides security? Who decides on security? For whom?
Join the webinar with @RethinkingSecu1 @CidobBarcelona @MAGsaveslives & @Essec
š
Friday 22 May at 5pm (CET)
āļøOpen registration: icip.cat/en/event/webinar-seā¦
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Who provides security? Who decides on security? For whom?
Join the webinar with @RethinkingSecu1 @CidobBarcelona @MAGsaveslives & @Essec
š
Friday 22 May at 5pm (CET)
āļøOpen registration: icip.cat/en/event/webinar-seā¦
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This Friday 22 May at 4pm (UK)
Our Coordinator @RJ_Reeve will join a webinar panel to discuss Who provides security? Who decides on security? For whom?
With @ICIPeace, @CidobBarcelona in Barcelona, @MAGsaveslives in Manchester, & @Essec in Paris.
icip.cat/en/event/webinar-seā¦
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Happy 100th birthday to David Attenborough. According to @LukeTryl, easily the closest the UK public comes to consensus on a fantasy prime minister.
Never wiser than 5 years ago when addressing the UN Security Council on the urgency of rethinking security.
bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-enā¦
24 Feb 2021
Very important UK-chaired session of the UN Security Council on climate and security yesterday, including the starkest warning possible from Sir David Attenborough, making the case for immediately rethinking security. Please watch!
lght.ly/cj0c1cb
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New on the Blog:
'The Dangerous Logic of Europeanizing Nuclear Deterrence'
@ianNATOWatch and @TyttiErasto of @SIPRIorg question the dangerous framing and flawed logic of Franco-German proposals for a nuclearized future Europe.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦
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Rethinking Security retweeted
Apr 21
In a world wounded by arrogance, people hunger and thirst for justice. We must encourage those who believe in peace and dare to engage in ācountercurrentā politics, which focus on the common good. What is urgently needed is the courage of new visions and an educational pact that gives young people space and trust. #ApostolicJourney #EquatorialGuinea vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/eā¦
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Well worth listening to this Guardian podcast for more info on what on Earth happened with that DEFRA/JIC assessment of threats to UK national security from ecosystem collapse. But still many questions for HMG to answer.
Apr 22
Collapse of ecosystems around world is serious national security concern for UK, threatening peace, stability, food supply, leading to conflict social/economic disaster. So say UK spy chiefs.Why no response from highest levels of govt? Podcast here theguardian.com/environment/ā¦
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Roundtable: 'UK public opinion on security and military spending' - 30 April
Dr Tom Martin of @OpenUniversity & Dr Francesco Rigoli of @CityStGeorges will share findings and discuss implications for policy-makers, practitioners and activists.
Register: bisa.ac.uk/members/working-gā¦
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Rethinking Security retweeted
Graft. Venality. Impunity.
Our 2023 public opinion survey identified Corruption & Actions of the UK Gov't as the top 2 threats to UK national security.
Of 16-30 yr-olds, 74% rated Corruption, and 68% rated UK Gov't action, as a significant threat.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦...
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On-the-money editorial in the Guardian today putting SDR authors' pitch to bankroll the UK's supporting role in US empire in its proper context.
theguardian.com/commentisfreā¦
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With pressure mounting on the PM to up the pace of UK military spending increase, he'll find there are no easy solutions.
Michael Brzoska & Ian Davis argue that neither the case for spending increases nor trade-offs necessary to achieve them has been made.
rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/20ā¦
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Rethinking Security retweeted
Apr 8
I think itās interesting that people are so shocked by the idea of ānormalizing the language of nuclear annihilationā.
This was what nuclear deterrence always is. Any state (& person) that supports nuclear deterrence as a policy must be ready to wipe out a whole civilization
Apr 8
No one thought Trump was threatening to use nuclear weapons, but this language tends to normalize the language of nuclear annihilation: āA whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." Missing the forest for the trees. trib.al/WGg00Es
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Today is a good day to read Drone Wars UK's briefing on the USAF use of RAF Fairford for air strikes against Iran.
Today is the day the UK government must stop all US combat aircraft flying from its bases, whether in the UK, Cyprus or Diego Garcia.
dronewars.net/wp-content/uplā¦
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The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy today published its report into the 2025 š¬š§National Security Strategy.
We're pleased that it has cited our evidence, shared our concerns and endorsed our recommendations, including on: ...
committees.parliament.uk/pubā¦
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We would also have welcomed a much clearer recommendation on the very fundamental point that a NSS should never again be sequenced after and treated as ancillary to a defence review. This is a missed opportunity.
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You can read our full evidence submission here: committees.parliament.uk/wriā¦
And there are also some good ones from @Saferworld, @GAPS_Network and @TheHALOTrust.
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