Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has issued a stark warning that a sharp decline in children's reading for pleasure is making young people in the UK more susceptible to sophisticated Russian disinformation campaigns online.
Literacy Linked to National Security
In a direct intervention, the minister stated that falling literacy and reading comprehension could have a direct "impact on our security as a country." She linked the educational challenge directly to growing threats from foreign state actors, who are using advanced techniques to spread false information.
Writing in The Telegraph, Phillipson highlighted recent warnings from the new head of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, about the escalating danger from Russia and other hostile nations. "A dark new frontier is the disinformation spreading across social media and the wider internet," she wrote, noting that these threats are now designed with high production values to mimic legitimate news sources.
Call for a 'Generation of Critical Thinkers'
The Education Secretary argued that the only effective defence is to cultivate a "generation of critical thinkers" and problem solvers. She emphasised that children must be equipped to analyse online content, value truth, and resist manipulation.
"In short, we need a generation of readers," Phillipson concluded, framing strong literacy skills as a fundamental pillar of both individual resilience and collective national defence in the digital age.
National Campaign Launched Amidst Alarming Statistics
To tackle the issue, the Department for Education has partnered with the National Literacy Trust to launch a UK-wide drive, designating 2026 as a national year of reading. The campaign aims to reverse a worrying trend identified by the Trust: while around half of children enjoyed reading two decades ago, that figure has now fallen to just one third.
As part of her strategy, Phillipson has previously announced plans to introduce a new reading test for Year 8 pupils. However, this move has faced criticism from teaching unions. Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), has argued that "more mandatory tests are not the answer" to the complex problem.
The warning comes as security chiefs describe facing a "tsunami" of foreign propaganda aimed at undermining social cohesion and trust in institutions. MI6 chief Metreweli recently stated the "front line is everywhere," pledging to modernise the intelligence service's approach by ensuring officers are as fluent in technology and coding languages like Python as they are in traditional espionage tradecraft.
