The UK government has a fresh look at its national security and international policy

The government has released a refresh of its Integrated Review (IR) in March – as companies like yours have been keeping an eye on China, and how the IR could work in the new business landscape of 2023. The IR refresh sees current geopolitical events as ‘a period of heightened risk and volatility which will last beyond 2030’. In response, an updated UK foreign, defence and trade policy approach has been created under the IR refresh.    

Last November, the CBI submitted proposals to improve the IR, so that the UK can meet its modern day geo-political challenges. This included giving businesses a larger role to play in enhancing the UK’s global position with its allies and competitors and adding greater granularity and support for specific areas of excellence like in science and tech leadership.   

The IR refresh sets a more defensive tone to UK’s national security and international policy, in response to a more contested and volatile world, but it also keeps up with the previous goals across most policy areas – from science and tech to national security and tackling climate change.  

It is clear from the refresh that the UK will need to work on a detailed plan to balance security and resiliency whilst also utilising foreign and trade policy to unlock opportunities in areas of UK strength.   

What are the 4 key takeaways from the refresh? 

1. Russia's war in Ukraine, subsequent inflation and IRA have pivoted the UK back towards Europe.  

• The refresh increases the cost to Russia of disrupting UK and Euro-Atlantic stability and further strengthening NATO as a foundation for collective security.  

2. There is greater emphasis on resilience, as a mechanism to enable long-term security, through a new operating model for national security.  

• There are a series of new strategies on critical minerals semiconductors and supply chains and imports.