GCSJ seminar series: Public opinion & national security in the UK - A people-centred approach

Presenter -  Dr Thomas Martin Senior Lecturer In International Studies

This research is interested in the politics of national security. As the Strategic Defence Review 2025 and the National Security Strategy 2025 recognise, the British public will be expected to play an active role in the UK’s national security. Yet, current opinion polling and research into national security often fails to capture the nuances, plurality and diversity of perspectives that circulate among UK citizenry on this topic. At a time of significant global instability, this research asks:

• What threats are perceived as most salient by people living in the UK?
• What are the key drivers of security and insecurity for people living in the UK?
• What are the public’s national security policymaking and spending priorities?
• What demographic and ideational factors shape people’s perception of national security?

Building on focus group and opinion polling data, this research demonstrates that national security cannot be reduced to a singular concept but is shaped by diverse threat perceptions and policy priorities. It highlights the plurality of perspectives on national security within the UK public and argues that this diversity is insufficiently captured in both existing research and contemporary public debate.

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