New poll reveals number of brits who wouldn't fight for the uk if war broke out
Half of the public say under no circumstances they would go to war for the UK, according to a new poll.
48 percent of voters said they would not join the army, despite the ongoing threat from the likes of Russia, China and Iran.
Ipsos said the figure is unchanged from last year's poll, as 36 percent, this year, said there were circumstances in which they would fight, up one percent from previous.
Hamish Mundell, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said there were questions about ‘Britain’s willingness to fight and make sacrifices’, but added the Ipsos poll did not suggest the country would be unable to mobilise in the event of WW3.
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“I think the most important thing to take away from this polling is that we should be careful about confusing what people say they would do in peacetime with how they might actually behave in a national emergency,” he told the Press Association.
Mundell thinks the army won’t be overly concerned by the poll because their main concern is being able to train and prepare people for war, not getting extra people to sign up.
He added: “I can’t see the number of people willing to fight decreasing if the UK started suffering at the hands of a foreign power during a conflict.”
In the male category, more people said they would fight than would not, with 48 percent saying there were circumstances in which they would go to war, while 40 percent saying they would not be willing to do so.
The majority of women and people aged 35-54 said they would not fight, the poll found.
Although Mundell said the figures were ‘hardly surprising’, he said it was ‘disheartening that we don’t seem to have any form of leadership from the Government on a pathway to Britain’s 3.5 percent Nato commitment’.
Last year, the UK and other Nato allies agreed to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on ‘core defence’ by 2035 under pressure from Donald Trump to increase military spending.
Mundell added: “I am sceptical that we need another national conversation before we can make those decisions.
“We need political leaders to explain the threats facing the country, set out what needs to be done and just go and do it, even where that might prove contentious.”
The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,090 British adults between 29 September and 1 October.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “In an increasingly dangerous world, we are stepping up to protect the UK.
“There has never been a more important time to join defence and with more people now joining the armed forces than leaving, that reflects the growing confidence in the opportunities and benefits that service life offers.
“This Government is determined to build on that progress.
“A career in the armed forces provides incredible opportunities for people from all backgrounds to develop their skills, fulfil their potential and come together in the shared defence of our nation.”
Anish Vij