National security

National security put at risk by lack of Brexit plan, say MPs and peers

Britain’s national security strategy is being eroded by a failure to plan for Brexit, MPs and peers have warned, in a scathing assessment of the UK’s potential to defend itself from future threats.

The joint parliamentary committee on the national security strategy (NCS) said the lack of a backup plan suggested the “prioritisation of political interests above national security” at a time when Europe is facing sizeable security challenges, including an “emerging domestic terrorist threat” and the migration crisis.

The MPs and peers on the committee also warned that the capabilities of the armed forces could be undermined because Brexit might see the defence budget reduced in real terms.