Labour insists Britons won’t be targeted for free speech despite ‘Orwellian’ fears over new ‘information unit’

Cabinet minister Wes Streeting has insisted that the Prime Minister’s new information centre will not be weaponised against the free speech of Britons, following sharp concerns over state overreach. According to GB News, the reassurances come in the wake of a major policy announcement at the United Nations.

Speaking to GB News, the senior minister made clear that he carries a direct responsibility to defend the freedom and democracy of the nation. The remarks follow Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s address at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, where he officially announced plans for a brand-new National Centre for Information Defence.

The government states that the newly formed unit is specifically designed to combat foreign disinformation and untrue narratives concerning the UK, explicitly taking aim at hostile actors like Russian agencies. However, the announcement immediately triggered fierce pushback from critics warning of Orwellian government overreach and potential censorship of domestic dissent.

• Wes Streeting assured GB News that free speech will remain protected.
• Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the National Centre for Information Defence at the UN.
• The initiative aims to counter foreign disinformation and untrue online narratives.

I have a responsibility to defend the freedom and democracy of this country.

— Wes Streeting, Cabinet Minister, GB News

Downing Street has maintained that the operational focus of the centre is strictly limited to countering malicious foreign interference and deepfakes that damage British interests abroad and at home. Ministers argue that failing to monitor and counter hostile digital campaigns leaves national infrastructure exposed to severe psychological and political manipulation.

Civil liberties watchdogs and political opponents continue to demand strict parliamentary oversight to ensure the powers are never turned inward against domestic critics. The government insists that transparency and accountability will govern the operation as the new defence framework rolls out over the coming months.

Original source: Read the full report at GB News

Original source: Read the full report at GB News