As tensions rise with Russia, our Army chiefs are calling for conscription to be reintroduced in the UK, warning Britain risks being powerless against Putin’s forces unless thousands more soldiers are trained and ready
Army chiefs are urging the UK Government to seriously consider conscription in preparation for a potential war with Russia.
They’ve warned that the country needs to act fast and start training thousands of soldiers to be ready for the looming threat from Vladimir Putin.
Former NATO officers claim it’s time to wake up and take action before it’s too late. The suggestion comes as tensions rise with Donald Trump hinting the US might reduce its security commitment to Europe. European leaders are scrambling to shore up NATO defenses in the Baltics, fearing an attack from Russia could be just a few years away.
While countries like Poland and Latvia have already reintroduced conscription to prepare for the worst, the UK government is firmly against it. Despite the ongoing involvement of British troops in Ukraine and Keir Starmer’s push for peace across Europe, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat MacFaddon has made it clear that conscription is “not on the table.”
However, military experts and defence analysts are sounding the alarm, warning that complacency could have catastrophic consequences. Sir Richard Shirreff, former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, bluntly stated that Britain must conscript now or risk being powerless against Putin’s forces. The UK’s current military might is no match for Russia’s overwhelming war machine, with more than a million Russian soldiers standing ready. Colonel Hamish De Bretton Gordon has echoed these concerns, urging the UK to prepare for conscription or face the very real risk of surrender to Putin.
It seems the debate about conscription is really heating up now, with some experts saying it’s necessary to protect the future of Europe. So what do you think? Is it time the UK reintroduced conscription?
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Mandatory military service was introduced in the First World War following the government’s Military Service Act in 1916. It continued until the final servicemen were demobbed in 1963.
Today, the British Army has just 70,000 active troops – the smallest since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. De Bretton Gordon added: “What is important is to modernise our military. Make sure that we have the right kit, enough ammunition, and enough training, and that we are in a position to support Ukraine.
“While conscription will take a huge focus away from our regular military – which we cannot afford at the moment – we need to plan for it”, he told The Sun.
Sir Shirreff said Britain must “think the unthinkable” and plan ahead to avoid a catastrophic event. He suggested the government should launch “selective conscription”, which will prepare Brits for war.
He said: “The government should rule nothing out at the moment. I can’t see how an army of just 70,000 is going to be able to deter Russia in the long term and maintain the mass it needs. If you look at the size of our regular army, it’s tiny and they’d find it difficult to deploy a brigade for any period of time.
“You need mass and you achieve mass through alliance and through creating larger forces but you’ve also got to build up your own army. Selective conscription must be looked at.”
What do you think? Is it time the UK reintroduced conscription? Take our poll above and expand on your feelings in the comments.
