Published: October 2026

Tell the truth — and circle the wagons

Edward Lucas speaks to MPs and peers around a committee room table in the UK Parliament, under a dark green fade. Text: Tell the truth — and circle the wagons. Edward Lucas, UK Parliament, October 27, 2026. BISC logo.

BISC founder-director Edward Lucas gave a “Be More Baltic” message in the British Parliament yesterday, as guest speaker at the Russiawatch All-Party Parliamentary Group Annual General Meeting.

Edward Lucas speaks at the far end of a committee room table in the UK Parliament while MPs and peers take notes.

Edward Lucas at the Russiawatch All-Party Parliamentary Group AGM, UK Parliament, October 27, 2026. Photo: Caitlin Pugh

Lucas urged the MPs and peers to learn from the experience of the Baltic states in resilience, vigilance and deterrence. He praised Estonia’s KAPO for its annual reports on sub-threshold threats, starting in 1998 and now emulated by other countries in the region. Britain should do the same, he said, along with other members of the eleven-member, UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force.

Rather than fretting about the twists and turns of US politics, it was time to “circle the wagons” with these, Britain’s most threat-aware and capable allies, he said.

Edward Lucas gestures as he speaks, seated at a table with MPs and peers in a UK Parliament committee room.

From left: Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Helen Maguire MP, Lord Risby, Edward Lucas and Sir John Whittingdale MP. Photo: Caitlin Pugh

In particular, the British authorities should follow the Baltic example and “tell the truth” about the extent, nature, and frequency of sub-threshold attacks, he said. Too often the significance of incidents including murder, sabotage and bribery is overlooked, sometimes because of bureaucratic incompetence, but also because the government is worried about public reaction. “If they knew the truth, people would ask three hard questions: Why did we get into this mess? Why did you cover it up? And what are you going to do about it?” he said.

Among those attending the AGM were co-chairs Helen Maguire MP (Lib Dem) and Sir Bernard Jenkin (Conservative); plus Sir John Whittingdale MP, Lord Risby, Baroness Helić and Julian Lewis MP (all Conservative); Johanna Baxter MP (Labour); James MacCleary MP (Lib Dem); and former Lord Speaker Baroness D’Souza and Lord Cromwell (Crossbench).