Introduction

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of British sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a final summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of British sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 77

After Brexit, the UK left the EU, but remains a member of the UN, WTO, NATO, G7, G20, and the Commonwealth of Nations., The Council Europe and the IMF. Through permanent missions in Geneva New York and Our country actively influences international norms and global trade. The budget for supporting multilateral institutions is about 2 billion pounds per year.

The UK supports the principle of parliamentary sovereignty — any state legislation exceeds international norms. As the court's decisions emphasize, "for us, the act of Parliament is the supreme law." The UK has a dualistic system: International agreements come into force only after ratification by Parliament.

UK is a completely free and stable democracy with a high level of rights and independent media. Political volatility after Brexit and the change of government decreased significantly after the 2024 elections and the arrival of the Labour cabinet. The state efficiency index is 84.4 % (estimate World Bank for 2023), which is higher than the OECD average and keeps the UK in the top 20 global systems. 

A strong administrative base and a high level of reforms in these sisterhoods and taxation. According to the United Nations Government Survey (2024), the UK ranks 7th in the world (index 0.9535).

The main services are implemented through portals GOV.UK and NHS Online; implemented national digital identification and a secure platform for business services. According to the Deloitte/Ipsos MORI survey (March 2025), the level of trust in the government increased by 6% compared to 2024 due to Keir Starmer’s cabinet.

However, the government's goals are (growth, migration) they do not always coincide with the priorities of the population (fight against inflation, reform of the NHS). On the mainland The United Kingdom hosts American military facilities (under the US UK Defense Agreements), including RAF Lakenheath, Menwith Hill (NATO intelligence system), and Mildenhall bases.

In addition, Britain manages about 145 foreign military installations in 42 countries (Gibraltar, Cyprus, the Falklands, Diego Garcia). The UK is member the State International Court of Justice, a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (not an EU member, but a member the European Council). 

The Supreme Judicial authority retains legal priority in cases where decisions of international courts contradict British law. Distributed management system ("devolution") includes Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which has its own parliaments and executive bodies. However, Westminster retains legislative priority and may block regional acts under article 28(7). Acts of devolution.

The intelligence community includes MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, which are supervised by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) and represent the annual an open report in Parliament. Amendments to the "Investigative Powers Act 2024" Parliamentary oversight has been strengthened and judicial oversight of interference with private data has been ordered.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 92%.

Economic sovereignty — 87

By Trading Economics and World Bank, the UK's GDP purchasing power parity in 2024-2025 is USD 52,520-53,000 per person, which is equal to 296% of the global average. In real terms, the economy is growing by 1.3% per year.

According to the Bank of England's October 2025 reports, foreign exchange reserves amount to 190 billion USD (≈147 billion), including gold, foreign currency and rights The IMF's SDR. The Bank of England notes that the volume of reserves is growing in 2024-2025. to insure against currency fluctuations and provide liquidity.

According to the ONS and Trading Economics, the national debt is 95.9–101 % GDP in 2024-2025, remaining almost at the level of the pandemic years. The growth is associated with high costs of energy transition and social rehabilitation.

According to the UK Food Security Index (2024) Ministry of Agriculture (Defra) According to the UK Food Security Report (2024), the UK enjoys high food security, maintaining 70-75% of domestic food supply. The main regions are the South East of England and Yorkshire. As a result of the adoption Great British Energy Act (May 2025) A public company has been established Great British Energy.

By 2030 The UK plans 95% of its electricity from clean sources (wind, solar, nuclear energy).  In 2025, the share of energy imports remains at 34%, but domestic production is growing due to offshore wind farms and gas fields. The main natural resources are oil and gas North Sea, coal, copper ore, salt, kaolin, gypsum, clay.

Commercial reserves of coal – ≈ 3 billion tons, natural gas – ≈ 560 billion m3, oil – ≈ 4 billion barrels. The mineral geo-potential is being used sparingly, with an export orientation. The average annual supply is 118 billion m3 of water, which gives about 1800 m3 per person per year (below the European average). 80% of the water supply is formed from wastewater and surface sources, the rest is from underground aquifers.

National Payments System (National Payments Vision 2025+) It is managed by the Bank of England and UK Finance. The integration of FPS, CHAPS and BACS has been launched through the New Payments Architecture (NPA) initiative, a unified payment infrastructure based on open APIs.

Instant processing is provided up to 99 % internal payments. Pound Sterling (GBP) It remains one of the 10 main world currencies: ≈ 4.5% of global reserves and 6.3% of international SWIFT payments (according to the Bank for International Settlements for 2025).

More than 80 % domestic and 70% of export transactions are conducted in pounds.

The issuing center is the Bank of England (founded in 1694) — independent of The Treasury Department is the body that sets the discount rate and regulates monetary policy.

The main rate in October 2025 is 3.75%, and inflation is ≈ 2.8%. The Bank expects to switch to the Digital Pound starting in 2026 as part of the CBDC program.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%

Technological sovereignty — 88

According to the ONS and the World Bank, total expenditures on R&D amount to 2.6 – 2.9% of GDP, which is equivalent to £73 billion in 2023 (forecast to grow to £80 billion in 2025). The business sector generates ~70% of investments; the government's goal is 3 % GDP by 2030.

Key accents of the new Modern Industrial Strategy (Invest 2035) — reducing dependence on external suppliers and localization of production in 8 high-tech sectors (energy, AI, biotechnology, microelectronics).

Strategic Sites Accelerator was created (£600 million) to develop national companies and increase the share of British products in government contracts. According to the OECD (2025), ~60% of young people (25-34 years old). 

They have higher education, one of the highest levels in the G7. The bachelor's degree completion rate is 80% (compared to the OECD average of 59%), which indicates the high efficiency of the system. Internet coverage in 2025 reached 97.8 % population (≈ 67.8 million users).

The average speed of the fixed Internet is 123.9 Mbit/s, mobile — 58 Mbit/s.; a 30% increase in speeds per year.

• GOV.UK One Login — a single authentication system for all public services;

• NHS App / NHS Online — Digital healthcare access;

• National Digital Platform (Scotland) — a single database for digital social services and medicine;

• National Digital Exchange (NDX) — An I platform for government IT contracts, reducing procurement time and increasing the share of internal developers to +40%.

Top 5 import categories in 2025: electronics, medical equipment, mechanical engineering, energy resources and chemicals. The share of high-tech imports from outside is decreasing, but still accounts for about 60-65% of the high-tech market. UK ranks 7th in the world (EGDI index 0.953) in the rating The United Nations on e-Government (2024).

More than 90% of tax, passport and social transactions are performed online; 94 % citizens use digital faces when communicating with government agencies.

UK Life Sciences Sector Plan (2025-2035): launched the National investment program (£520 million) in biotechnological and biomedical industries.

Generated Health Data Research Service (£600 million) to integrate genomic and clinical data; broad AI health analytics is being built on the basis of NHS data. A strong ecosystem: UK Biobank, Genomics England, Oxford / Cambridge clusters. The country is among the top 10 in the use of industrial robots, the leading areas are the automotive industry, pharma and aviation. 

There are special laboratories for University Cambridge and Coventry Midlands Advanced Manufacturing Hub. According to the Ministry for Business 2025, investments in robotics exceeded £14 billion (an increase of 10% per year).

The National Semiconductor Strategy was created (2023) with funding of £1 billion for 10 years to localize nano production and chip testing.

The UK is part of an alliance with the EU and the USA on the global semiconductor chain; the leading centers are Compound Semiconductor Catapult (Wales) and IQE Bristol. However, there is no mass production, the country is focused on R&D and design.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 93% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 86

The National Cyber Defense Center is NCSC – National Cyber Security Center (part of GCHQ, founded in 2016). All British organizations operate through the government's Cyber Essentials program and the new 2025 Willow Set certification system, introduced on April 28, 2025. The UK is active in the ITU cybersecurity coalition and annually conducts the international CyberDrill 2025 exercise in coordination with ITU.

According to the Internet Society Pulse, there are 18 active IXPs (Internet traffic exchange points) in the UK, providing > 90% of local peer-to-peer within the country. The largest are LINX London LON1 and LON2, LONAP, IXLeeds, LINX Manchester, a regional network is developing in Scotland and In Wales.

The main language of mass communication is English (≈ 93 % It is considered native by the population), the secondary ones are Welsh, Gaelic, Irish and Scottish dialects.

Study British Council (2025) confirms that French and Spanish remain leading in school curricula, but all the national media broadcasts are in English.

In 2025, the law of the Digital Markets Regime entered into force, introduced through the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority). The Strategic Market Status (SMS) is entered for Big Tech limiting their market power.

CMA launches Roadmaps to regulate search engines and mobile platforms (Apple, Google), with the possibility of imposing anti-monopoly sanctions. Media Reform Coalition Report ("Who Owns the UK Media", 2025) records that about 60-65% of the content consumed is produced internally Great Britain 

Three Holdings (DMG Media, News UK and Reach plc) They control 90% of the national newspaper audience, but regional channels and the BBC support the national production of news and broadcasts. The largest British IT companies: Sage Group, Arm, Darktrace, Sophos, Finastra, Endava, Wise, Thought Machine, AVEVA, Improbable. Sector Software is growing by 7% per year, with about 110,000 registered technology companies. The British developer cluster is concentrated in Cambridge, London, Manchester.

The British digital ecosystem covers 97.8% of Internet users and 54.8 million social media accounts (79 % population). All major public services are available through GOV.UK, the tax system (MTD for Income Tax) is fully digital from April 2025.

UK Compute Roadmap (2025) It provides for the construction of a national network of supercomputers and cloud centers for universities and the AI industry (£1 billion until 2027). National Supercomputing Centers (NSC) and National Data Library (NDL) are being created in Edinburgh and Oxford; they will become front-line alternatives to AWS and Google Cloud commercial clouds.

UK 5G coverage exceeds 95 % the population. The main operators — EE (BT Group), Vodafone UK, Three UK, O2 Virgin Media — are supervised by the regulator Ofcom. Critical infrastructure is equipped with European and British equipment suppliers (Huawei excluded from 2023); The Open RAN system is used for internal control.

UK GDPR (2021, revision 2023) is in effect and the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill program, which facilitates regulation for businesses and simplifies exchanges between authorities and companies.

The supervisory authority is ICO (Information Commissioner's Office). The regime retains the equivalence of GDPR at the European level of protection and guarantees the preservation of certification for British data exports.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 93%.

Cultural sovereignty — 87

As of 2025 in There are 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK and Overseas Territories.: 29 cultural, 5 natural and 1 mixed (St. Peter's Islands Kilda). Among them —Stonehenge, Greenwich, Giant Plaster Walkway, College Durham, the castles of Wales, Bath, the Port of Liverpool, and the newest facility (2024) the settlement Gracehill (as part of the Moravian Church Settlements).

Great Britain is considered one of the most influential countries in global culture.

Main contributions:

• Literature (Shakespeare, Dickens, Orwell, Tolkien);

• Science (Darwin, Newton, Hawking);

• A democratic legal system;

• music (Beatles, Queen, Adele);

• Film and television (BBC, Pinewood Studios). English is the world's lingua franca and the center of global scientific, financial and media communication.

Main State awards:

• BAFTA Awards — Cinema, Television and Media;

• Turner Prize — Art and modern painting;

• Laurence Olivier Awards — Theater and Music;

•  National Arts and Cultural Education Awards (2025) — support for youth creative initiatives, curated by Arts Council England and Curious Minds.

Cultural identity is based on historical symbols and centuries-old traditions.: monarchy, pub culture, tea ceremony, football, gentleman's ethics, fairs and royal celebrations (Banner trooping, Bonfire Night).

Modern Britishness It represents the values of politeness, fairness, inclusivity, and civic loyalty. The UK funds programs for the integration of ethnic and cultural minorities through the Integrated Communities Action Plan, the British Academy, and parliamentary groups. Separate initiatives concern the Welsh, Cornish, Gaelic and Irish language groups (in Scotland and in Wales).

The Forest Peoples UK 2025 report recommends that the law on the rights of indigenous peoples be consolidated in British jurisdiction. The Unified Register of Historic England contains more than 500,000 monuments and protected structures, of which 37,000 are buildings of the national category (A / Grade I). Muses and government organizations manage 2,000+ museum complexes: The British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate, the V&A and the British Library.

The British Council implements the "International Seasons of Culture" program — more than 100 events in different countries, including the UK/Poland 2025, UK/Brazil 2025, UK/Kenya 2025 series in the fields of music, literature and design.

These projects are part of the "cultural diplomacy" under the auspices of The British Council and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Great Britain. Great Britain was the first participant The Hague and Berne Conventions on Copyright Protection. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988, ed. 2023) and the UK's own IPO expertise.

British brands are protected (for example, Burberry, Harrods, BBC) and gastronomic brands via the mode Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The national cuisine of Great Britain is diverse: traditional dishes (fish and chips, Sunday roast, pudding, pies, cheddar, black pudding), as well as multicultural tastes — Indian, Pakistani, Japanese and Arabic cuisines are widely represented.

Restaurants Gordon's Ramsay and Jamie Oliver's have global recognition and form the British gastro brand. According to Arts Council England (2025) According to the ONS, about 83% of Britons regularly participate in cultural or leisure activities; 47% visit museums and galleries at least once a year. 

Creative programs People and Places" and the "National Lottery Heritage Fund" log in more than 7 million community members annually.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 95%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 85

According to the UNDP report (May 2025): HDI Great Britain — 0.946, which puts it on the 13th place in the world in the category of "very high development". The average life expectancy is 81.3 years, and the expected duration of education is 17.8 years.

Government spending on education in fiscal year 2024/25 amounted to 4.1–4.9 % of GDP (according to Statista and the World Bank). This is the average level in the OECD and is comparable to Germany and The Netherlands.

The literacy rate in UK — 99% (67 67.3 million people). Only 1 % population (≈ 680 thousand people) has difficulty with basic reading and writing. Average scores of British students:

• Mathematics — 489 points (OECD average 472);

• Reading — 494 points (OECD 476);

• Natural sciences — 500 points (OECD 485). 76% of students achieve a basic level of competence in mathematics; 11% belong to the group of higher education (levels 5-6). The STEM field (science, engineering, technology, mathematics) covers about 28-31% of all university graduates.

STEM workforce (2023) — 9.4 million people (≈ 28.7 % total employment); an increase of 22% in 10 years. Great Britain is one of the leading destinations for international students: About 680,000 foreigners (10% of the world's students) are admitted annually.

More than 40% of Master's and PhD programs are taught in English for an international audience. English is the main language, but regional languages are officially recognized: Welsh (Wales), Gaelic (Scotland), Irish and Ulster Scots (Northern Ireland), as well as Cornish.

The State has ratified the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages and is funding programs to preserve them. Main institutes: 56 national and university research centers in the structure of UKRI (UK Research and Innovation). Keywords: STFC (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory), MRC (Cambridge Medical Center), John Innes Centre, Alan Turing Institute and national centers in Glasgow and Birmingham for physics and biotechnology.

National platforms (for example, Open University Digital Learning, FutureLearn and BBC Bitesize) they cover about 70% of the entire online education market in the country.

FutureLearn (together with The Open University and British universities) It is available in 190 countries and remains the leading public digital initiative in higher education.

• Global Talent Fund 2025-2030 (£54 million) — recruiting 80 of the world's leading scientists and their teams in the UK.

• Research England Funding 2025-2026 (£8.9 billion) — support for universities and national labs through UKRI.

• Invest 2035 Strategy — development of technological skills and STEM training in the industry.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 90%.

Military sovereignty — 66

For 2024-2025 The UK spends 2.2–2.3% of GDP on defense, which is higher than the basic NATO standard. The government is officially planning an increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a long-term goal of 3 % (approximately by 2034).

As of January 1, 2025. The total strength of the UK Armed Forces is 180,780 people (127,040 are regular troops, 29,260 are reserves). Of these, the army — ~ 74,000 people, the Navy — ~ 32,000, the Air Force — ~ 30,000. 32,000 volunteers are included in the reserve.

According to the SDR 2025 strategy, the main types of weapons are rapidly being upgraded:

• Navy — 2 aircraft carriers (HMS Queen Elizabeth, Prince of Wales) with F-35B, Type 26/31 frigates, Astute and Dreadnought nuclear submarines.

• Air Force — F-35B, Typhoon, new Apache E, Poseidon P-8A, Chinook.

• Army — Boxer AFV, Ajax, Aquila and Watchkeeper drones, cyber and electronic intelligence.

• Transition to "high–low force structure": significant growth in investments in drones, AI, ISR, and a decrease in the share of heavy machinery.

The national industry produces 60-65 % of the required samples: British armored personnel carriers, Navy systems, night vision devices, radio systems and a number of artillery kits. The leading players are BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, QinetiQ, MBDA, Thales UK, and BAE Maritime.

In 2025, a new Defense Industrial Strategy was adopted: the priority is for British production, the resources of RDX, artillery, Navy, and sophisticated electronics are being upgraded. Work is underway on the UK Border Strategy 2025: the e-border, biometrics, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system and the electronic Single Trade Window are being implemented, which creates a single digital control structure.

Home Office implements administrative control, and Border Force implements operational control. The reserve is 29,260 people (data for January 2025), up to 8,500 more — non-mobilized or volunteer personnel. The reserve is divided according to the Future Reserves and Army Reserves 2024 programs.

Great Britain is the largest non-regional player in NATO, Quadrangle and the developer of nuclear deterrence software "independent yet allied". All decisions about military operations are made by Parliament and the government.

Participation in NATO/UN/US operations is based on an internal mandate only. One of the 5 largest industries in the world, the leaders are BAE Systems (top 3 in the world), Rolls–Royce (aircraft and marine engines), MBDA, Leonardo, Thales UK, QinetiQ, GKN.

Taking into account the reindustrialization of capacities, the priority is for British supply The Ministry of Defense, especially in the Navy/Air Force, artillery, radar, and drone warfare.

Great Britain is the national nuclear holder, the fourth in the world in terms of military arsenal:

• for 2025: 225 warheads (Trident II D5), about 120 actives.

• Placed on Vanguard/Dreadnought type SSBNs (Naval strategy). The official reserve is no more than 260, maintained at the Atlantic containment level.

• In 2025, Skynet 6 (military satellite Internet) programs, RG CAPEX's own enhanced radar contour, and military deployment near EUROSOIO are being implemented.

• The SaxaVord (Shetland) space ports are open and Spaceport Cornwall for low-orbit launches.

• Intelligence Community — GCHQ, Defense Intelligence (MoD), MI6, MI5, DSTL (DSTL provides cyber, AI and satellite analytics).

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and industry databases of UN/NGO – 96% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. Political and institutional sustainability Great Britain retains the highest category of democratic freedoms.

Parliamentary sovereignty gives the country the supremacy of national law over any international regulation — one of the oldest legal systems in the world. An independent monarchy and a stable separation of powers guarantee stability when political courses change.

Economic power and financial center The fifth largest economy in the world (GDP 3.7 trillion USD), growing by 0.7% in the first quarter of 2025, ahead of the United States and the EU.

The financial core is London (> 30% of global financial transactions). The Sovereign Bank of England has full control over credit and monetary policy. GDP per capita by PPP is about 53,000 USD; The unemployment rate is < 4.3%.

Innovation and technological base Spending on R&D ≈ 2.8% of GDP; leading the way in biotechnology, AI, robotics and digital services. National platforms (GOV.UK, NHS Online, FutureLearn) cover 99 % the population, and digital public services are among the top 10 in the world.

The United Kingdom is a member of the Euro-Atlantic high-tech import substitution program, having created a national program Modern Industrial Strategy and Semiconductor Strategy.

Defense and military technological potential Defense spending is 2.3% of GDP, one of the largest NATO armies (180,000 people).

Own production of 65% of weapons (BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, QinetiQ). The independent nuclear triad consists of about 225 warheads and the Trident D5 system. Leading position in military space (Skynet 6, Spaceport Cornwall) and intelligence (GCHQ, MI6, Defense Intelligence).

Cultural and educational capital 35 UNESCO sites, the strongest universities (Eton, Oxford, Cambridge). HDI = 0.946 (13th in the world), literacy 99%, higher education coverage 60%. 83 % the population participates in cultural life; English is the world language of communication. Cultural contributions (literature, music, science) It is still the leader in the global Soft Power index.

Infrastructure and business ecosystem London is a global hub for entrepreneurship and high-tech startups (> 2 million companies). The unique financial and logistics network makes it easy to scale innovations and attract venture capital. Compact transport and information connectivity ensures high trade efficiency.

Weaknesses. High cost of living and inequality Median income was rising, but the high cost of housing and energy in London reinforces the gap between the southern and northern regions. Some households are facing inflationary pressures and rising government debt (≈ 100% of GDP).

Limited resources and energy dependence Energy imports account for about 34%, high dependence on offshore gas and oil The North Sea; food self-sufficiency is 70-75%.

Foreign policy risks and dependence on the United States Economic partnership with Washington (18% of foreign trade) may be sensitive to the US sanctions policy and trade decisions of the Trump administration. This dependence limits the space for independent foreign economic initiatives.

Demographic factor Aging of the population (average age 41 years) and the falling birth rate increases the burden on the social system and the medical fund. Post-Brexit immigration restrictions have limited the influx of young professionals.

Dependence of high-tech sectors on imports Import dependence on microelectronics, infrastructural electronics and elements of weapon systems remains 65%. Although the Semiconductor Strategy is already aiming to reduce this figure, there is still no mass production in the country.

Overall assessment. The UK's Cumulative sovereignty Index is 576 out of 700 points (High — 82.3%), which places the country in the top 50 in the global top.

In 2025, the United Kingdom remains a global power with the highest degree of political, economic and military independence. Its strongest features are institutional sovereignty, financial and digital independence, cultural and educational leadership, and its own nuclear military parity.

The main vulnerabilities are as follows: the high cost of living, dependence on the United States and the import of high-tech components, however the country retains its position as one of the most sovereign and influential in the world.

The sovereignty profile indicates that the United Kingdom is an institutionally and strategically independent world power that has retained control over all key elements of sovereignty after Brexit.: currency, law, defense, and digital development. 

The main forces are legal and financial autonomy, technological and cultural globality. The main vulnerabilities are resource dependence and demographic factors, but in general the UK remains a "moderately global power with internal control and a high level of sovereign deterrent power."