The UK Prime Minister (PM), Keir Starmer, has appointed Sir Stephen Lovegrove as the PM’s Special Representative on AUKUS.
"Sir Stephen is fully committed to ensuring the UK plays a leading role within AUKUS and holds widely respected national security experience. I am very grateful to him for taking up this appointment and look forward to working closely with him and our partners in the US and Australia as we take the AUKUS partnership to new heights," UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, said.
Lovegrove will support the Defence Secretary and the National Security Adviser to drive the AUKUS programme forward. He was the UK National Security Adviser at the time of the AUKUS announcement in 2021. He has previously served as the UK PM’s Defence Industrial Adviser, and as the Permanent Secretary at the UK Ministry of Defence.
"I am delighted to accept the role as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on AUKUS and I look forward to starting work immediately to help maximise the potential of this vital partnership," Lovegrove affirmed.
Lovegrove has conducted a Review of the UK’s progress against its core commitments under AUKUS, identifying barriers to success, and setting out recommendations on how to unlock further areas of opportunity, both nationally and with the US and Australia. Lovegrove presented his findings to the UK PM and Defence Secretary earlier this year. His report will be shared with US and Australian partners and a public version released in due course.