Folks, I’m genuinely worried about what’s happening in the UK right now, as the Labour government has rushed through the National Security (State Threats) Act, which completed its parliamentary stages and received Royal Assent on July 8, 2026.
This bill grants the Home Secretary the power to designate state-backed organisations as “foreign power threat actors” under a framework modelled on terrorism proscription, rather than classifying them as terrorist organisations.
While these new powers mimic the mechanism used in the Terrorism Act 2000 to ban designated bodies, the legislation creates a distinct legal classification for hostile foreign state activity. This allows the government to restrict proxies acting on behalf of foreign intelligence services.
What makes this so urgent is how broad these powers could be. From the way the laws are written, journalists, NGOs, and even ordinary people could be at risk if they share information the government doesn’t like, especially on sensitive international issues.
When laws are this vague, people self-censor, and that’s exactly how free speech gets weakened. There’s also a bigger pattern here. Alongside the legal crackdown, there’s talk of prioritising mainstream, state-friendly media on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which would push independent voices further down the feed.
If this happens, people won’t just lose access to certain opinions, but also to crucial reporting that challenges power. I cannot emphasise the seriousness of these shocking new developments, and why we need public pressure now.
Join the conversation now and contact your local MPs to support independent media while it still has room to operate. If we don’t push back, the space for honest reporting and free expression will continue shrinking.
