Starting in July 2026, anyone in the UK caught providing support to criminal proxies acting on behalf of hostile foreign governments will face prison time. Up to 14 years of it.
The law, announced on June 9, 2026, by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, explicitly names Iran, China, and Russia as the hostile states driving the need for new criminal penalties.
What the law actually does
The legislation expands the UK’s existing National Security Act to give the Home Secretary enhanced authority to designate and outright ban organizations linked to foreign states classified as hostile. Once an organization is designated, providing any form of support to it, or accepting funds from it, becomes a criminal offense.
Starmer highlighted the increasing use of criminal groups by hostile actors for surveillance and sabotage operations on British soil.
