Defending Democracy

National Security Strategy (Joint Committee) Open Inquiry
Opened: 24 Feb 2025 Parliament page
20 Recommendations
3 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
11 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 17 events
15 Jul
2026
Report published
23 Jun
2026
Correspondence
18 Mar
2026
Report published
16 Mar
2026
Correspondence
16 Mar
2026
Correspondence
24 Feb
2026
Correspondence
9 Feb
2026
Oral evidence
9 Feb
2026
Correspondence
12 Jan
2026
Oral evidence
21 Oct
2025
Correspondence
8 Sep
2025
Oral evidence
17 Jul
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
9 Feb 2026
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Graeme Biggar CBE · National Crime Agency Rachael Herbert · National Crime Agency
12 Jan 2026
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Dr Sam Power · University of Bristol Duncan Hames · Transparency International UK Natasha Powell · Kraken Digital Asset Exchange Tom Keatinge · RUSI
8 Sep 2025
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The NSS - Political finance (inc. crypto)
Dr Susan Hawley · Spotlight on Corruption Ian Taylor · CryptoUK Jackie Killeen · Electoral Commission Peter Geoghegan · openDemocracy Vijay Rangarajan · Electoral Commission
17 Mar 2025
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Defending Democracy
Dan Jarvis MP · Home Office Nanyamka Brown · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Shaun Hipgrave · Home Office The Baroness Jones of Whitchurch · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report - Political finance and foreign influence HC 720 18 Mar 2026 23 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Acknowledged
3rd Report - Political finance and…
The governance and accountability arrangements for criminal enforcement of illegal political finance interference are inadequate.
The governance and accountability arrangements for criminal enforcement of illegal political finance interference are inadequate. Responsibilities and capabilities are dispersed across the Electoral Commission, the Metropolitan Police Service, Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, the National Crime Agency, the National Police Chiefs’ … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the vital need for appropriate structures to allow enforcement agencies to operate effectively. It states that the establishment of the new National Police Service provides an opportunity to strengthen capabilities and will consider how different functions could be brought together through forthcoming reforms.
Cabinet Office
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3 Recommendation Acknowledged
3rd Report - Political finance and…
The Government should establish a centralised Political Finance Enforcement Unit.
The Government should establish a centralised Political Finance Enforcement Unit. This should be a joint unit, which could be housed in the National Crime Agency. It should hold the overall national lead and accountability for proactive assessments and criminal investigations … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need for policing to have specialist expertise, coordination, and national capacity for investigating political finance. It will use the establishment of the new National Police Service as an opportunity to strengthen and formalise capabilities, considering how functions could be brought together, but does not commit to establishing a specific unit.
Cabinet Office
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4 Recommendation Acknowledged
3rd Report - Political finance and…
The Unit should have formalised information sharing agreements with the parent organisations of participating personnel,...
The Unit should have formalised information sharing agreements with the parent organisations of participating personnel, to ensure the parent organisation’s powers may be deployed during the course of investigations. (Recommendation, Paragraph 48) Crypto Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need for effective structures and resources and will consider strengthening and formalising capabilities, including how functions could be brought together, as part of establishing the new National Police Service.
Cabinet Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 23 of 20 classified
Accepted 13
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 2
Rejected 1
Total 20 recs + 3 conclusions
Correspondence 11 letters
23 Jun 2026 The Electoral Commission's response to the Committee's report on political finance and foreign influence, dated 20 May 2026
Parliament page
16 Mar 2026 To committee Response from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to political finance, dated 9 March
Parliament page
16 Mar 2026 From committee Letter to the Commissioner, Metropolitan Police relating to Political finance, dated 12 February, and their response, dated 5 March 2026
Parliament page
24 Feb 2026 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to political finance, dated 23 February 2026
Parliament page
9 Feb 2026 To committee Letter from the Chair to Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive, Electoral Commission, dated 21 January 2026, relating to political finance, and the response, dated 5 February 2026
Parliament page
21 Oct 2025 Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defending Democracy Taskforce, dated 15 October 2025
Parliament page
17 Jul 2025 Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister relating to the Defending Democracy Taskforce, dated 16 July 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025 From committee Letter to Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 28 March 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025 To committee Letter from Ofcom on Defending Democracy and the Online Safety Act, dated 23 April 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025 Correspondence to Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidence held on 17 March on Defending Democracy, dated 28 March 2025
Parliament page
1 May 2025 Correspondence from Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister following oral evidence held on 17 March on Defending Democracy, dated 16 April 2025
Parliament page