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Abstract

The United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016 and official formal departure in 2020 represented a significant loss for British collaborative intelligence sharing. This dissertation examines a plethora of evidence and literature surrounding the changes towards collaborative intelligence sharing and joint action mechanisms as well as the nature and severity of threats facing the UK today. The overarching aim of the dissertation is to establish to what extent Brexit has created gaps within the UK’s security framework post-Brexit and contextualise this against identified threats, to
produce recommendations for reform.
The first section of the paper focuses on contextualising the importance of security studies within international relations as a tool of analysis. Additionally, an overview of Neo-liberalism is featured to explain how it will be used throughout the dissertation to characterise UK decision making towards security. This section also serves to explain how the dissertation aims to contribute to the chosen field of research.
The following chapter examines the multitude of threats facing the UK, using collected data and examples in order to categorise whether the UK is under increased vulnerability as a result of Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Additionally, the next chapter examines and analyses the remaining intelligence sharing mechanisms still accessible to the UK post-Brexit and identifies possible gaps present in Britain’s security when characterised against the threats facing UK national security agendas.
In the final chapter, the evidence collected throughout the dissertation and the subsequent analysis is collated into explaining viability of possible security reform ideas which have emerged following Brexit and provides policy recommendations for future improved collaborative intelligence sharing and security against the evidence provided throughout.
The results of this research found that there are indeed gaps in the UK’s security framework post-Brexit which pose potential risks to the prosperity and national security of UK assets and citizens should they not be addressed by future reform. These were particularly prevalent within the counterterrorism and policing sectors. Emergent threats such as cybercrime and the resurgence of Russian expansionism were also potential areas of concern. As such, increased investment in British sovereign capabilities, improved bilateral collaboration and further commitment towards NATO and Five Eyes was recommended to improve and sustain UK security within a post-Brexit landscape.

Course: International Relations - BA (Hons)

Date Deposited: 2024-05-15

URI/permalink: https://www.library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14416.html