Theresa May’s Brexit Speech: Did the PM Overplay Her Hand?
The pound rallied and Brexiteers cheered after British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday outlined her plans for a “hard” UK exit from the European […] More
United Kingdom
The UK Investigatory Powers Act: A Bad Example for the World
Surveillance law is absolutely necessary because it compels the government to write down, for all to clearly see, the rules that they must abide by […] More
The UK Investigatory Powers Act: A Model for Europe
On November 29, Royal Assent was given to the UK Investigatory Powers Act, after eight months of intensive Parliamentary scrutiny, with hundreds of amendments made, […] More
The UK’s New Surveillance Law: Security Necessity or Snoopers’ Charter?
On January 1st, the United Kingdom began the implementation of the Investigatory Powers Act, widely considered the most comprehensive—and intrusive—surveillance law in the Western world. […] More
Cracks in the Union: Europe and the World in 2016
Editor’s Note: Over the coming days, The Cipher Brief presents some of our most incisive coverage on key issues of 2016 and a look ahead […] More
UK and Japan Ambassadors Affirm American Alliance
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made several foreign policy statements which if, as President-elect, were to be put into practice, would undercut several traditional […] More
Parliamentary Tremors As UK Government Appeals High Court Ruling
Conservative British parliamentarian Stephen Phillips has resigned his seat due to reported policy differences with Theresa May and her handling of Brexit. Despite being pro-Brexit, […] More
The F-35, UK, and Coalition Operations: Capable, But Flawed
The F-35 will bring two important capabilities, which are currently not possessed by the UK armed forces, when it enters frontline service at the end […] More
The F35: A 21st Century Coalition Asset
After years of delays and cost overruns, the F-35 is finally in the hands of military services across the globe. As of June of this […] More
Will Theresa May's Britain Stay Committed to European Defense?
The meaning of security in Europe is changing. The continent faces a revanchist neighbor to the east, a cauldron of instability to the south (with […] More
Remaining Relevant
The British people shocked the international community when they voted to quit the European Union (EU) this summer. Markets tumbled and fears mounted that the […] More
Surveillance State
British Prime Minister Theresa May’s approach to intelligence is well-known and defined by her tenure as Home Secretary. While foreign intelligence technically falls into the […] More
British Defense Secretary Says UK More Committed to NATO Post Brexit
Britain will be more committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its bilateral relationships – particularly with the U.S. – post-Brexit, said Britain’s […] More
Report Blasts British Government Decision to go to War in Iraq
The long-awaited report detailing Britain’s role in the Iraq War was finally published on Wednesday, with the seven-year inquiry finding the United Kingdom relied “on […] More
The Beginning of the End, or Just a Reprieve?
Fear and uncertainty gripped global markets on Friday following the UK referendum vote to leave the European Union. The political turmoil in the UK and […] More
Is the UK Crucial to EU Security?
The Brexit referendum threatens European cohesion and, thus, could have serious consequences for defense of the European continent. The Cipher Brief spoke with Rachel Rizzo […] More
Navigating Uncharted Waters
Markets around the world continue to feel the pain of last Thursday’s Brexit referendum. The FTSE 100 (London’s Stock Exchange with the highest market capitalization) […] More
The Unclear Road Ahead
There are two elements to the “what now?” question in the UK. The first element I expected to be addressing after Thursday’s vote was: how […] More