London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 21, 2026

Government UFO hunters may reopen 'Britain's X-Files' and track down alien life

Government UFO hunters may reopen 'Britain's X-Files' and track down alien life

Britain could revive its UFO desk depending on the findings of a report into extra terrestrials due out next month from the US Pentagon's UAP Task Force, it has been claimed

A specialist team of alien hunters could be recalled by the Government after the findings of a US report into extra terrestrials are revealed, it has been claimed.

The Ministry of Defence's dedicated UFO desk has been defunct since 2009 but a Pentagon probe into unidentified flying objects - now called Unidentified Aerial Phenomena - could see it revived.

The US Congress is set to be presented with the unclassified report in June on evidence collected by a UAP Task Force, the Office of Naval Intelligence and the FBI.

It has been labelled a landmark moment by Ufologists and a senior defence source said Downing Street certainly "wouldn't rule out" reforming the UFO desk if the findings call for it.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, they said: "I think that if there was enough evidence to suggest that there was something, and that we needed to do it as well as the US, then of course we'd think about it.

Nick Pope previously investigated UFO activity for the Ministry of Defence


"We'd look at it. There's all sorts of things that we wouldn't rule out, and this would certainly be one of them."

They added that as science and technology evolve "whole new universes" can "suddenly open up" and it is important Britain remains on top of the situation, to "identify [and] track objects".

RAF Flyingdales tracks objects through space and the source said it could work alongside the US in future.

It comes after Lord Black asked the Government this month if it had any role in the US Task Force and whether there had been any information exchange.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Mulder and Scully in TV show The X-Files


Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said the UK "does not have a role" with the Task Force and "has not contributed" to the US report, though added the MoD is aware of it but can't comment further until it is released.

Nick Pope previously investigated UFOs for the MoD's Secretariat Airstaff but told the Telegraph the job did not involve running "around darkened warehouses...guns drawn" like on TV show The X-Files.

He said it was more about checking radar tapes of possible UFO sightings and liaising with air force experts, but said halting investigations altogether was a "huge mistake".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Hotel Wins World’s Best Afternoon Tea Award at International Hospitality Guide La Liste
Court of Appeal Rules in Favour of Competition and Markets Authority in Phenytoin Drug Case
Chichester Waste Site Suspended After Environment Agency Finds Serious Fire and Pollution Risks
UK Appoints Chris Elmore as Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
Environment Agency Fines Yorkshire Firms Nearly £470,000 for Environmental Permit Breaches
British Chambers of Commerce Says Post-Brexit Trade Deals Have Limited Economic Impact
Resident Doctors to Vote on Government Pay Offer in Ongoing NHS Dispute
UK Public Borrowing Reaches £46.3 Billion in Early Fiscal Year, Driven by Debt Interest Costs
UK Government Unveils £100 Million Package to Strengthen Fire and Rescue Response Capacity
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent Despite Easing Inflation
Met Office Extends Amber Heat Warning as Temperatures Forecast to Reach 38C Across Southern England
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Expected to Resign Amid Mounting Labour Party Pressure
UK Government Tightens Procurement Rules to Prioritise National Security and Supply Chain Resilience
National Drought Group Reviews Water Supply Risks After Dry Spring and Ongoing Heatwave
Andy Burnham Faces Leadership Speculation After Weak Local Election Results for Labour
Charity Commission Appoints Interim Managers to Barnabas Aid Amid Financial Investigation
Government Awards £27 Million Leonardo UK Contract to Maintain Military Aircraft Fleet
Environment Agency Suspends Chichester Waste Site Permit Over Fire and Pollution Risks
Border Force Seizes Record Cannabis Shipment in Major UK Criminal Network Disruption
Lloyds Banking Group to Hire 300 Artificial Intelligence Specialists in Digital Expansion Push
UK Government Introduces Alcohol Monitoring Tags for 7,000 Offenders Ahead of Summer Sporting Season
Resident Doctors in England Prepare Vote on Government Pay and Working Conditions Offer
Police Scotland Investigates Suspected Anti-Muslim Attacks in Edinburgh Following Arrest
Met Office Issues Rare Amber Extreme Heat Warning Across Southern and Eastern England
UK Government Unveils Digital Homebuying Reforms to Cut Costs and Speed Up Property Transactions
Train Driver Dies and 89 Injured in Rail Collision Near Bedford as Safety Investigation Begins
Long-Term Economic and Political Effects of Brexit Continue to Shape UK Policymaking
Digital Disinformation Emerges as a Growing National Security Challenge in the United Kingdom
Britain's Dependence on Global Energy Routes Drives Push for More Resilient Supply Chains
Rising Energy Costs Continue to Threaten Britain's Cost-of-Living Recovery
Concerns Grow Over Far-Right Organizing and AI-Driven Online Radicalization in Britain
UK-Led Global Partnerships Conference Calls for Reform of International Development Finance
Middle East Tensions Continue to Weigh on UK Business Confidence
Reports of Middle East Peace Deal Ease Pressure on UK Energy Prices
UK Warns Middle East Conflict Could Worsen Global Food Insecurity
UK Economy Loses Momentum After Strong Start to 2026
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Easing Inflation
Brexit's Legacy Remains Deeply Divisive Ten Years After the UK Voted to Leave the European Union
International Anti-War Conference Opens in London as Debate Over European Rearmament Intensifies
UK Health Authorities Introduce Drug Price Concessions Amid Record NHS Medicine Shortages
Sir David Attenborough Supports Sherwood Forest Conservation Efforts After Loss of Major Oak
Aardman Animations Marks 50 Years With Major Exhibition in Bristol
Drax Cleared After Investigation Into Wood Pellet Sourcing Practices
Jaguar Land Rover Shifts Toward Hybrid Vehicle Production for US Export Strategy
UK Police Arrest Liberal Democrat MP Cameron Thomas on Suspicion of Assault
Health Concerns Grow Over Elevated Kidney Cancer Rates Near Lancashire PFAS Factory
Royal Navy F-35 Jets Conduct First NATO Air Warfare Exercise from Finnish Airspace
UK NHS Issues Price Concessions for Medicines Amid Severe Drug Shortages
Heathrow Third Runway Project Faces Sharp Downward Revision in Expected Economic Benefits
Amber Heat Warning Issued Across Parts of England and Wales as Temperatures Rise
×