The Thinktank Analysing Sovereign Capability
How much can Britain actually decide for itself?
The Criterion Centre is an independent British think tank examining the capabilities and dependencies that shape the country’s capacity to act.
Our research looks across the economy, technology and the strategic systems on which modern Britain depends.
— OUR FOCUS
We study capability.
We assess dependency.
Britain’s capacity to act is shaped not only by government decisions, but by markets, technology, infrastructure, supply chains and international partnerships. The Criterion Centre examines where these dependencies matter, how resilient they are, and the choices available to policymakers.
Our role is not to assume that greater independence is always desirable, but to improve understanding of the costs, constraints and trade-offs involved in Britain retaining, building or foregoing strategic capability.
— OUR RESEARCH FOCUS
The dimensions of Sovereign Capability
Sovereign capability provides a framework for examining the economic, technological and strategic foundations of Britain’s capacity to act.
01. Economic Capability
The economic institutions, markets and assets that shape Britain’s room for manoeuvre, including access to capital, strategic ownership and the resilience of important industries.
02. Technological Capability
Britain’s ability to access, develop and retain the technologies increasingly central to economic and national power, including advanced computing, AI and digital infrastructure.
03. Defence Capability
The industrial, technological and institutional capabilities underpinning Britain’s ability to protect its interests and meet its security commitments.
04. Energy & Natural resources
The resilience of the energy, resources and supply chains on which Britain depends, and the choices involved in securing them over the long term.
05. Data & Digital Infrastructure
The ownership, resilience and governance of the digital systems and data infrastructure increasingly underpinning public and economic life.
— OUR FLAGSHIP RESEARCH
The Sovereign Capability Index
The Criterion Centre is developing a recurring assessment of Britain’s capabilities and strategic dependencies across key areas of national life.
The Sovereign Capability Index will bring together publicly available evidence to examine how Britain’s exposure and resilience change over time, providing a common framework for policymakers, researchers and industry.
Supporting research will explore individual questions in greater depth throughout the year.
— WHY OUR WORK MATTERS
Sovereign Capability is becoming a first-order policy question
Questions of capability and dependency are becoming more important across the economy, technology and national security. Understanding where Britain is exposed and where it retains room for manoeuvre is increasingly central to long-term policymaking.
Economy
Capital, ownership and market conditions increasingly shape the choices available to governments and British businesses.
Security & Supply
AI, computing, cloud infrastructure and advanced technologies are becoming fundamental inputs into economic and state capacity.
Technology
Energy, critical resources and strategic supply chains have highlighted the importance of understanding where dependencies are concentrated.
Understanding these dependencies does not dictate a particular policy response. It allows better decisions to be made about which risks Britain should accept, diversify or address.
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