The Rest Is Politics: Leading 175. Ex-Director of GCHQ: China, Russia, and the Threats Facing the UK (Jeremy Fleming)
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Feb 9, 2026 Jeremy Fleming, former head of GCHQ and seasoned UK intelligence leader, reflects on state and cyber threats. He discusses China and Russia as distinct strategic challenges. Short takes cover cybercrime’s economic toll, tech supply decisions and AI as an accelerant to crime. The conversation also explores intelligence accountability, Five Eyes ties, and how tech is reshaping modern conflict and security.
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Cybercrime Is A National Security Issue
- Cybercrime is now a national-security-scale problem with hundreds of nationally significant incidents annually.
- Fleming warned this economic and societal harm deserves much more political attention.
Jaguar Land Rover Cyber Disruption
- Fleming described how a malware attack halted Jaguar Land Rover's supply chain and production for weeks.
- He estimated the incident cost nearly £2 billion and showed how operational vulnerabilities cascade into economic damage.
Harden Defences Before Retaliating
- Harden defenses and make systems harder to attack rather than relying on retaliation.
- Fleming urged prevention and resilience as more effective than punitive cyber responses.