Following criticism that Sir Keir Starmer is ‘too weak’ on China, McCallum initiated officials to ‘ensure that the UK is a hard target’, adding, ‘We need to up our game.’ In his yearly threat briefing, he revealed that a significant Chinese plan was disrupted in just the past week, cautioning that hostile state tasks aiming at Britain have increased by 35 percent, with fresh threats elevating ‘every day.’
Breaking MI5 Tradition
In an uncommon move, Sir Ken spoke publicly in regard to the frustration around parliamentary researchers Chris Cash, 30, and Chris Berry, 33, who were not prosecuted for reportedly revealing secrets to Beijing. ‘Of course, I am frustrated when opportunities to prosecute national security threatening activity are not followed through for whatever reason,’ he stated.
He further highlighted, ‘In the particular case that I’m sure you have in your mind the activity was disrupted,’ and applauded his team, stating they had ‘every reason to feel proud of the detection and disruption job that they have done in this case.’ He described, ‘Clearly when we believe there has been activity threatening UK national security, convictions are great, we work very hard with our police colleagues to make them possible and so it’s frustrating when they don’t. I would invite everyone to just not to miss the fact that this was a strong disruption in the interests of the UK’s national security.’
Firm Stance on UK Security
Speaking to the crowd at Thames House, Sir Ken stated, ‘I am MI5, born and bred. I will never back off from confronting threats to the UK, wherever they come from.’ He highlighted the requirement for Britain to ‘defend itself resolutely against threats’,he also said, ‘In this new era, with multiple overlapping threats on an unprecedented scale, we need to up our game.’
‘We can’t rely solely on investigating and disruption. Together, we have to ensure that the UK is a hard target. We want our adversaries to think twice before acting against us.’ He emphasized that government authorities experience ‘policy choices’ concerning ‘exactly which lines you draw, which balances you strike.’
Increasing Threats from State Actors
Sir Ken cautioned MI5 is facing a ‘new era’ of threats, citing, ‘In 2025, MI5 is contending with more volume and more variety of threat, from terrorists and state actors than I’ve ever seen.’ He also described ‘rising aggression on UK soil,’ also mentioning: ‘State threats are escalating. In the last year, we’ve seen a 35 per cent increase in the number of individuals we’re investigating for involvement in state threat activity.’
This includes espionage aimed at Parliament, universities, and major infrastructure, alongside ‘ugly methods MI5 is more used to seeing in our terrorism casework.’ Sir Ken described, ‘My teams are routinely uncovering attempts by state actors to commission surveillance, sabotage, arson, or physical violence, right here in the UK. We are dealing with these threats every day.’
MI5 has allegedly traced more than 20 possibly lethal Iran-backed plans in the last year and is handling ‘near record volumes’ of terrorism investigations. Sir Ken commemted, ‘In 2025, a more hostile world is forcing the biggest shifts in MI5’s mission since 9/11.’ Since 2020, MI5 has disrupted 19 late-stage terror plots and intervened in ‘hundreds of developing threats.’
The spy chief also cited that Al Qaeda and Islamic State are ‘more ambitious’, hiring youth through ‘squalid corners of the internet where poisonous ideologies’ thrive.
Chinese Threat
Enquired directly about China, Sir Ken confirmed, ‘Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? And the answer is, of course, yes they do, every day.’ He defended Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Collins, who ignored calling China a threat, resulting in the espionage case against Cash and Berry collapsing. Sir Ken explained Collins as ‘a man of high integrity and a professional of considerable quality.’
When asked about the range of Beijing’s activities, he cited, ‘Try not to think too much just in terms of classic, card-carrying spies based out of embassies in the Le Carre mould. There were a whole host of ways in which Chinese state actors are able to collect information of value to them.’
FAQs:
Q1. What is MI5?
MI5 is the United Kingdom’s domestic intelligence and security agency, tasked with safeguarding the country from threats like espionage and terrorism.
Q2. Who is Sir Ken McCallum?
Sir Ken McCallum is the Director General of MI5, monitoring the UK’s security activities. He is tasked for handling threats from hostile states and terrorist organizations.
