Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Security of Greenland and the Arctic

Tuesday 20 January 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK works with NATO allies to strengthen Arctic security
  • Foreign Secretary proposes an Arctic sentry for NATO to coordinate operations and intelligence
  • Callum Anderson welcomed the recognition of Arctic's strategic importance to Europe's security

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Graham Leadbitter SNP Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
Defence Brexit Foreign Affairs
Context

The Prime Minister justified the UK's hesitant approach towards Greenland as being in the national interest. The SNP MP criticises this stance, arguing that Brexit has left the UK isolated internationally.

Question

Yesterday, the Prime Minister attempted to justify the hesitant approach that is being taken to Greenland, the US and the EU as being in the national interest, yet there was nothing in the national interest about Brexit, a false-hope deal that has left us far away from our European friends, desperately clinging to a US Administration who do not care about our national interests. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that the UK is nothing but a cork in the ocean, bobbing around at this moment of international crisis, neither here nor there—and all because of a disastrous, isolationist, self-sabotaging Brexit?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Yvette Cooper)

The UK works with our NATO allies, some of whom are part of the EU and some of whom—like us, and like Norway, where some of our closest partnerships are—are not. This is about strengthening our Arctic security, because the Arctic is the gateway through which the Russian northern fleet can threaten the UK, Europe, the US and Canada. Arctic security is a transatlantic security issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not address whether Brexit has left the UK isolated or ineffective internationally.

How: Changed Subject To Nato Allies, Emphasised Arctic Security

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Q2 Callum Anderson Lab Buckingham and Bletchley
Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP recognises the renewed recognition of the Arctic’s strategic importance to Europe's collective security and the need for NATO to develop a more credible deterrence posture.

Question

I thank the Foreign Secretary for her statement yesterday. I welcome the renewed recognition of the Arctic’s strategic importance to Europe’s collective security, and of the need for NATO to develop a more credible deterrence posture. Will she provide a further update to the House on how the Government are using their diplomatic influence in NATO to drive a more coherent, long-term strategy for Arctic security, rather than relying on individual national responses?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Yvette Cooper)

We have proposed a stronger role for NATO on Arctic security. Just as NATO has a successful Baltic Sentry and an Eastern Sentry, we are arguing for an Arctic sentry that co-ordinates operations and intelligence for countries right across the Arctic, and also countries like the UK, which are heavily affected by Arctic security, even though we are not part of Arctic security. That is why we are substantially increasing our presence in northern Norway and working with Norway on new, groundbreaking frigates.

Answered
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