Today (20 July 2026), Andy Burnham became Prime Minister of the UK, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer. While there is not yet a detailed ‘Burnham tech strategy’, pre-transition briefings and reports over recent weeks suggest a strong focus on AI, including plans for a dedicated AI Minister, the scrapping of the hotly debated digital ID programme, and the potential reorganisation of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with its responsibilities redistributed across other government departments.

So, what does the cyber community hope Burnham will do in the realm of cybersecurity, AI and tech as Prime Minister? We asked the industry…    

Charlotte Wilson, Head of Enterprise at Check Point said: “Britain’s AI department is at the forefront of the country’s productivity strategy, playing a crucial role in how the technology will be developed and rolled out to drive wider economic growth and defence.”

“Incoming policymakers should take heed; artificial intelligence is the gorilla in the room and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Any suggestion of redeployment or downsizing could send the wrong signal to businesses and cyber criminals about how seriously we take the most transformational technology in living memory,” Wilson continued. 

Dray Agha, Senior Manager of Security Operations at Huntress, added: “Smart infrastructure beats a spending war, and fortunately the UK can’t outspend the US or China on AI models anyway, so the new Prime Minister must focus on where we can win: secure public datasets and targeted sovereign compute.”

“Safely unlocking NHS data while fortifying our energy grid will build real domestic leverage without compromising national security. With guaranteed access to US tech currently on ice, relying solely on Washington is no longer a viable security strategy. The UK must leverage our AI Security Institute to build a ‘middle-power’ tech coalition with NATO and Commonwealth allies, pooling resources to ensure collective cyber resilience.”

Additionally, Muhammad Yahya Patel, vCISO and Cybersecurity Advisor for EMEA at Huntress, noted: “The UK doesn’t need to win the frontier model race; it needs to be a serious, trustworthy place to deploy AI at scale. That’s a more achievable and arguably more valuable position. The ally-pooling argument on sovereign compute and cloud interoperability is sensible from both an economic and security standpoint.”

“The UK’s convening credibility on this particularly through the AI Security Institute is a genuine asset that Burnham should be using. Unlocking health data for AI R&D is genuinely valuable but it’s only responsible if the security and governance infrastructure around that data is built first, not retrofitted after the damage is done. Right now the ambition is ahead of the security maturity.”

Jake Taylor, Head of Government NEMEA at Filigran, said:  “If the new government wants to bring more critical national infrastructure under public ownership, cybersecurity has to become part of that conversation from day one. National resilience isn’t just about protecting individual organisations anymore. It’s about ensuring energy providers, government, suppliers and operators can share intelligence, understand emerging threats and coordinate their response before disruption spreads.”

“The biggest challenge isn’t a lack of security tools. Most critical infrastructure organisations already have those. The challenge is breaking down the silos that still exist between organisations and turning threat intelligence into something that informs operational decisions, rather than simply generating more alerts. As the geopolitical environment becomes increasingly volatile and nation-state activity continues to rise, collaboration will be every bit as important as technology.”

Taylor continued, “the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is an important step because it moves the conversation towards common standards and greater coordination. If public ownership expands, cybersecurity needs to evolve from a collection of individual security programmes into a genuinely national capability, where intelligence sharing and continuous threat exposure management become fundamental to protecting essential services.” 

Andy Burnham’s long-term plans for the UK’s cyber, AI and technology sectors are still taking shape. The Guru team will be keeping a close eye on developments as his new government begins to set out its agenda.

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Last year, CSIDES took place on The Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare for the first time – a day filled with cyber talks, Cyber’s Got Talent, exceptional swag, its own theme song and – we are told – an extraordinary raffle. 

After the success of the inaugural event last summer, on the 9th October 2026, industry experts will gather in North Somerset once again, courtesy of event sponsors Tines, 4FOX Security, Consultants Like Us, Punk Security, PPRO and IASME.  

The Gurus sat down with the event’s organisers, Hazel McPherson and Jess Matthews (both Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Award winners and esteemed cyber professionals) to discuss all things CSIDES.

You’re back at the beach for the second annual CSIDES event! Can you tell readers who aren’t familiar what CSIDES is and who it’s for? 

CSIDES is the UK’s first cyber security event built by and for a coastal community. It is a one-day event which was designed to equip individuals, businesses, and educators with the tools to protect themselves in a rapidly shifting digital world. 

Why Weston? What makes The Grand Pier so special?  

Weston-super-Mare is a popular seaside resort in Somerset. However, like so many coastal communities in the UK it suffers from historical underinvestment in terms of opportunities in tech and cyber security. 

As a result, talent leaves the town to explore roles in larger cities, such as Bristol, Exeter or further afield. CSIDES was created to show that it is possible to stay and be part of the highly dynamic field of cyber security. Not only that, but local businesses also have access to experts on their doorstep who can provide support.

The Grand Pier is a renowned feature of the town. We could not think of anywhere better to host CSIDES, as an iconic symbol which we felt was the perfect setting for the event. Attendees can immerse themselves among the rides and gaze across the Bristol Chanel whilst taking in serious, cyber security topics in a fun atmosphere! 

What can attendees expect to see at this year’s event? Can you give us any sneaky insider insight?

We have a TV celebrity as a speaker! A workshop on scam callers. The Big Fat Quiz of the Pier. We have 5 rooms of accessible talks and interactive activities. Some of (if not the best) swag in the South West!    

Reflecting on last year’s event, what’s your favourite thing about CSIDES? What did you learn? 

It was exciting for me to see people with no experience in cyber working alongside really experienced senior leaders in cyber in the workshops. Realising that we have created a space where people could talk about cyber in a meaningful way regardless of experience or skills.
 

The local community may not be as knowledgeable about cyber as those who work directly in the industry. Why do events like these matter to them too?

We in the industry are poorer when we only look inwards. There are many in cyber security who see their role as more than a job, it is their mission to protect. To protect our families, communities, businesses and nations. We must be outward-looking as it is shared responsibility, and this is why events like CSIDES matter. We can start at home and locally, empowering people with knowledge so they can walk away from the Pier with steps to better protect themselves. What is more rewarding than that? 

And finally (and just for fun), what’s the best part about the seaside?

Hazel: My favourite thing about the seaside is how it never really changes. As a child, it was all about family holidays, donkey rides, building sandcastles, and paddling in the sea. Those are some of my happiest memories. 

These days, I appreciate it in a different way. I love the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand between my toes, and spending hours looking for unusual pebbles or peering into rock pools in the hope of spotting a tiny crab, a shrimp, or another glimpse of life beneath the surface. 

There is something wonderfully calming and familiar about the good old British seaside. It has a way of slowing life down and reminding me to simply enjoy the moment.

Jess: For me, I was born in Weston-super-Mare and the best part about growing up at the seaside has to be crabbing with my brother. I spent a lot of my childhood looking for limpets on the rocks or using bacon as bait (they prefer it smoked!). There is nothing more satisfying than pulling up the line and seeing a lot of crabs. The bucket was always full and releasing them afterwards was chaotic as they all scurried away in multiple directions. Memories!
 

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