The United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Tuesday (Nov 14) that artificial intelligence (AI) posed a threat to the upcoming national election.

The United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Tuesday (Nov 14) that artificial intelligence (AI) posed a threat to the upcoming national election. In its annual review, the NCSC said that this year saw the emergence of state-aligned actors as a new cyber threat to critical national infrastructure such as power, water and internet networks. "We live in a dangerous, volatile world. The events of the last year have demonstrated the extent to which geopolitical crises and technological change impact us all, threatening not just our traditional security but our economic security," the report said. The year 2022 saw the emergence of a new class of cyber adversaries in the form of state-aligned actors, who are often sympathetic to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine and are ideologically, rather than financially, motivated. 'Russian actors sought to interfere in 2019 poll' "The UK government assesses that it is almost certain that Russian actors sought to interfere in the 2019 general election," NCSC said, and with the upcoming elections in the UK and the United States, "we can expect to see the integrity of our systems tested again." The centre also said that the UK and its allies could not be complacent to the threat of foreign cyber interference and attempts at influencing the democratic process. In the UK, the next general election will take place before the end of January 2025. Local and mayoral elections are scheduled in May 2024. The NCSC said that when the election happens, the process of casting a vote is completed using pencil and paper, significantly reducing the chances of a cyber actor affecting the integrity of the results. "However, the act of voting marks the end of the sprint, as a significant amount of cyber-resilience building needs to take place before this to secure the services which support our elections and the integrity of an open public discourse," it added. The government has established the Joint Election Security Preparedness Unit (JESP), which takes overall responsibility for coordinating electoral security and drives the government’s election preparedness. Threat posed by AI According to the NCSC, technologies like AI might pose from those looking to interfere or otherwise undermine trust in the UK's democratic system. It said the next election would be the first to take place against the backdrop of significant advances in AI. However, rather than presenting new risks, AI's ability to enable existing techniques posed the biggest threat. The centre gave an example- "large language models will almost certainly be used to generate fabricated content, AI-created hyperrealistic bots will make the spread of disinformation easier and the manipulation of media for use in deepfake campaigns will likely become more advanced." The NCSC also said that even though the government was committed to countering the threat from online harms, it was important for people "to be aware that the threat landscape is changing and as with any kind of new technology, alongside realising the benefits, there is always potential for misuse."

UK: Cyber security body NCSC says AI poses threat to upcoming national election

By Victoria Honeyman

With Boris Johnson’s impressive election victory, one of the biggest questions in British politics will be answered: Brexit, in some form, will be done.

But what does this election victory mean for Britain’s standing in the world? Who will the UK now count as its allies, and its enemies?

The manner of Brexit matters in terms of Britain’s global standing. The large majority he has secured might give Johnson more room for manoeuvre in Westminster, making a softer Brexit possible. This would undoubtedly allow for smoother relations with the UK’s neighbours, but a softer Brexit might also have more advantages globally.

Overseas, Brexit is viewed as a form of national self-harm by many, and a softer departure may well prevent Britain’s international standing from being substantially damaged. A softer Brexit, which might involve some freedom of movement, may also allow Britain to strike a stronger bargaining position in future trade negotiations with both the EU and other nations. By remaining at least partially linked to the EU, Britain would be able to present itself in trade negotiations as part of a larger market, giving it more power and a louder voice.

US and China

Beyond Brexit, Johnson and US President Donald Trump will undoubtedly remain close, meaning the so-called “special relationship” will be publicly supported and championed. This public friendship may not make Johnson popular on the global stage, but with his majority, and a potential victory for Trump in November 2020, he may not care.

Bonhomie aside, the extent that camaraderie between Johnson and Trump will benefit Britain is more questionable. Securing a favourable post-Brexit trade deal with the US will remain very challenging.

Britain is already looking to strengthen economic and political ties with Commonwealth countries – Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, swiftly tweeted his congratulations to Johnson. The reality of leaning on the Commonwealth will not be as lucrative as membership of the EU, but the Conservatives are keen to draw on it nonetheless.

Specific countries, like India, will become increasingly important. An economic powerhouse, the UK will want to secure a trade deal with India. But at what cost? For India, any trade deal with the UK will have to come with the promise of a relaxation of the visa requirements for Indian nationals. That pay-off may be difficult for Johnson to sell to an electorate which has been repeatedly promised a reduction in immigration and a tightening up of immigration policy from the Conservatives.

China will be another key relationship to watch in future. Relations with China have not been particularly good over the past 20 years. For example China froze investment into the UK under the coalition government following David Cameron’s meeting with the Dalai Lama in 2012. Johnson’s government will be looking to improve this relationship in the hope of a beneficial trade deal.

But how can this be achieved? One recent example is the Conservative government’s response to the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. It might be expected, because of Britain’s historic links with Hong Kong and Britain’s desire to maintain democracy in the territory, that Johnson’s Conservatives would be outspoken in their support of the democratic movements.

Instead, the Johnson government has been quiet on the violence in the territory, a response which will undoubtedly please the Chinese government. It may be that silence is the cost of a future trade deal with China – a stance which has changed from under the leadership of Theresa May, where Jeremy Hunt was fairly outspoken on Hong Kong while foreign secretary.

Weakened

For a post-Brexit Britain, there will undoubtedly be some economic opportunities, but there is a cost. Outside of the EU, Britain is a much smaller power on the global stage, both economically and politically.

To secure those all-important trade deals, Britain will have to decide what pay-offs it is willing to make. For all his bluster, Johnson may have to swallow some uncomfortable truths and some uncomfortable compromises. Whether he can sell those at home is another matter.

The size of the Conservatives’ victory will hammer the final nail in the coffin of the hopes of those in the EU, and in the UK, who wanted a reversal of Brexit. Johnson is not a popular man in Europe, but Brexit fatigue has made his European counterparts keen to work with him to get Brexit finished. While securing a trade deal with the EU by the end of December 2020 will be tricky, it is also in the EU’s interest to make sure that trade remains smooth. 
 
(Victoria Honeyman is Lecturer in British Politics, University of Leeds) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-boris-johnsons-victory-means-for-britains-place-in-the-world-128738">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

By Victoria Honeyman With Boris Johnson’s impressive election victory, one of the biggest questions in British politics will be answered: Brexit, in some form, will be done.

By Victoria Honeyman With Boris Johnson’s impressive election victory, one of the biggest questions in British politics will be answered: Brexit, in some form, will be done. But what does this election victory mean for Britain’s standing in the world? Who will the UK now count as its allies, and its enemies? The manner of Brexit matters in terms of Britain’s global standing. The large majority he has secured might give Johnson more room for manoeuvre in Westminster, making a softer Brexit possible. This would undoubtedly allow for smoother relations with the UK’s neighbours, but a softer Brexit might also have more advantages globally. Overseas, Brexit is viewed as a form of national self-harm by many, and a softer departure may well prevent Britain’s international standing from being substantially damaged. A softer Brexit, which might involve some freedom of movement, may also allow Britain to strike a stronger bargaining position in future trade negotiations with both the EU and other nations. By remaining at least partially linked to the EU, Britain would be able to present itself in trade negotiations as part of a larger market, giving it more power and a louder voice. US and China Beyond Brexit, Johnson and US President Donald Trump will undoubtedly remain close, meaning the so-called “special relationship” will be publicly supported and championed. This public friendship may not make Johnson popular on the global stage, but with his majority, and a potential victory for Trump in November 2020, he may not care. Bonhomie aside, the extent that camaraderie between Johnson and Trump will benefit Britain is more questionable. Securing a favourable post-Brexit trade deal with the US will remain very challenging. Britain is already looking to strengthen economic and political ties with Commonwealth countries – Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, swiftly tweeted his congratulations to Johnson. The reality of leaning on the Commonwealth will not be as lucrative as membership of the EU, but the Conservatives are keen to draw on it nonetheless. Specific countries, like India, will become increasingly important. An economic powerhouse, the UK will want to secure a trade deal with India. But at what cost? For India, any trade deal with the UK will have to come with the promise of a relaxation of the visa requirements for Indian nationals. That pay-off may be difficult for Johnson to sell to an electorate which has been repeatedly promised a reduction in immigration and a tightening up of immigration policy from the Conservatives. China will be another key relationship to watch in future. Relations with China have not been particularly good over the past 20 years. For example China froze investment into the UK under the coalition government following David Cameron’s meeting with the Dalai Lama in 2012. Johnson’s government will be looking to improve this relationship in the hope of a beneficial trade deal. But how can this be achieved? One recent example is the Conservative government’s response to the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. It might be expected, because of Britain’s historic links with Hong Kong and Britain’s desire to maintain democracy in the territory, that Johnson’s Conservatives would be outspoken in their support of the democratic movements. Instead, the Johnson government has been quiet on the violence in the territory, a response which will undoubtedly please the Chinese government. It may be that silence is the cost of a future trade deal with China – a stance which has changed from under the leadership of Theresa May, where Jeremy Hunt was fairly outspoken on Hong Kong while foreign secretary. Weakened For a post-Brexit Britain, there will undoubtedly be some economic opportunities, but there is a cost. Outside of the EU, Britain is a much smaller power on the global stage, both economically and politically. To secure those all-important trade deals, Britain will have to decide what pay-offs it is willing to make. For all his bluster, Johnson may have to swallow some uncomfortable truths and some uncomfortable compromises. Whether he can sell those at home is another matter. The size of the Conservatives’ victory will hammer the final nail in the coffin of the hopes of those in the EU, and in the UK, who wanted a reversal of Brexit. Johnson is not a popular man in Europe, but Brexit fatigue has made his European counterparts keen to work with him to get Brexit finished. While securing a trade deal with the EU by the end of December 2020 will be tricky, it is also in the EU’s interest to make sure that trade remains smooth. (Victoria Honeyman is Lecturer in British Politics, University of Leeds) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

UK election: What Boris Johnson’s victory means for Britain’s place in the world

US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage to come together to safeguard prospects for expanded US-UK trade after Britain leaves the European Union.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage to come together to safeguard prospects for expanded US-UK trade after Britain leaves the European Union. Trump told reporters at the White House that both men were friends of his, but Johnson was "the right man for the time." Farage on Sunday said he would not run for a seat in parliament in Britain's snap December 12 election, focusing instead on campaigning against Johnson's EU divorce deal. The election was called because of an impasse in parliament over Brexit, more than three years after voters decided to leave the bloc. Asked which UK leader he supported, Trump said, "I like them both. I think Boris will get it right. They're both friends of mine. What I'd like to see is for Nigel and Boris to come together. I think that's a possibility." Trump said Britain's exit from the EU must be structured to facilitate continued trade between Britain and the United States. "We're far and away the No.1 economy in the world, and if you do it a certain way we're prohibited from trading with the UK," he said. "That would be very bad for the UK, because we can do much more business (than the) European Union." Trump first waded into Britain's election campaign last week, telling Farage in a radio interview that the leader of the left-wing opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, would be "so bad" for Britain if he wins. Trump also floated the idea that Johnson and Farage could combine forces, saying it could be "terrific." "If you and he get together it's, you know, unstoppable force," Trump told Farage in the interview. Farage responded by saying he would be "right behind" Johnson, on condition the prime minister dropped the Brexit divorce deal he struck with the European Union two weeks ago and instead went for a "clean break" Brexit without a deal. Trump also said Britain could do four to five times more trade with the United States, but might be prevented from doing a bilateral trade deal by the terms of the potential post-Brexit trade relationship that London and Brussels have set out.

Trump wades again into UK politics, tells Johnson, Farage to unite

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UK: Cyber security body NCSC says AI poses threat to upcoming national election

UK election: What Boris Johnson’s victory means for Britain’s place in the world

Trump wades again into UK politics, tells Johnson, Farage to unite