In what will probably be his final major act as Prime Minister, Keir Starmer has managed to get his new National Security (State Threats) Act passed with extraordinary speed: all House of Commons stages took place in a single day, and the Act received Royal Assent last week—under a month from its first introduction to law.
The Act criminalizes supporting, assisting, or receiving “material benefits” from what is described as a “designated body,” carrying sentences of up to 14 years. Where individuals go further, engaging in espionage, sabotage, or foreign interference for or on behalf of a “designated body,” they may be charged under the National Security Act 2023, with maximum penalties reaching life imprisonment.
“Designation” is made by the Home Secretary, who need only “reasonably believe” a body is, or has been, involved in foreign power threat activity and consider designation necessary to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom. There is no prior judicial authorization; lawyers have warned that conferring broad designation powers on a single minister, with limited checks and balances, raises serious concern.
