UK Facing Backdoor Threat from Growing Presence in Republic of Ireland

The UK faces a "backdoor" threat to its security from a Russian, Chinese, and Iranian presence in the Republic of Ireland. Policy Exchange argued the UK should expand its air and naval presence in Northern Ireland to counter a growing Russian threat. The report accuses Dublin of 'freeloading' in terms of European defense with a defense budget of less than 0.5% of GDP since 2000. The report is backed by former defense secretaries Michael Fallon and George Robertson. The report highlights concerns about Russia's maritime threat, intelligence operations, and cyber-attack vulnerability in Ireland, and China's global influence and technological advancements.