Inside Parliment: Cyber Security Insights from Portcullis House

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a cybersecurity conference at Portcullis House in Westminster, London. From the moment I walked in, the venue set a serious tone. I went through security, left my phone in my pocket (they passed the test), locked doors, there was a visible police presence making it clear that important conversations happen here, cybersecurity isn’t just a desk exercise, it’s a matter of national strategy.

The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders and cyber security experts to discuss the UK Government’s evolving approach to cyber resilience and the recently proposed Cybersecurity Bill.

The conference kicked off with a keynote from Dan Jarvis, Minister of Security and MP, who had just returned from the G7 in Canada. Despite being slightly jet-lagged, Dan delivered a compelling 20-minute speech on the government’s Cyber Action Plan for 2026, which aims to bolster national resilience while driving economic growth. He struck a perfect balance between policy ambition and practical leadership, a reminder that cybersecurity is as much about strategy as it is about technology.

Next, Jonathon Ellison, Director of National Resilience at the NCSC, took to the stage. Jonathan highlighted the realities of today’s threat landscape: state-sponsored APTs, an increasing number of high-alert incidents, four major alerts every week over the past year (NCSC) and the critical importance of a proactive, collaborative approach to cybersecurity. He discussed the Cyber Essentials Framework (CEF) as a cornerstone for building organizational resilience and emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government and suppliers to defend against emerging threats.

The panel discussion that followed brought together a diverse range of voices, including Alison Griffiths MP, Chris Francies (Director of Government Relations at SAP), Jonathon Ellison, Emma Phillpott, and Jen Ellis. Some of the key takeaways included:

• No silver bullets: As Jen Ellis humorously reminded the audience, “there is no such thing as secure and no such thing as bulletproof.” Cybersecurity is an ongoing effort, not a one-time fix.
• Two-way collaboration: The Cybersecurity Bill is designed to foster a partnership between government and organizations. Information sharing and proactive engagement.
• Focus on the basics: Emma Phillpott highlighted the importance of fundamental controls like multi-factor authentication, system upgrades (goodbye Windows 10) and patching.

Overall, the conference wrapped up a clear message: the UK Cybersecurity Bill isn’t just about compliance. It’s about building a culture of resilience, embracing collaboration and preparing both public and private sectors for a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Experiencing these discussions inside Portcullis House, surrounded by locked doors and a sense of controlled secrecy, made the stakes feel even more real.

As the UK strengthens its cyber defenses, Redborder is proud to play a role in helping organizations build resilience and stay ahead of threats. With partnerships and collaborations on the horizon, we look forward to working with industry leaders and government to make the digital world a safer place for everyone.