The UK may need a new form of conscription if the threat of WW3 becomes a reality, according to the former head of MI6.
Sir Alex Younger has warned that the alleged closeness between the US and Russia could be a problem in the near future.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have been in contact with one another to try and strike a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. As the chances of a ceasefire actually happening any time soon remain unlikely, Sir Alex has questioned if the UK would be ready for war, if needed.
Britain has used conscription, otherwise known as mandatory military service, for two periods in the 20th century.
Advert
The first was during World War from 1916 to 1920 and then again from 1939 to 1960 during and after World War II.
During the first war, single men aged 18–41 were forced to go to war, which later expanded to married men, raising the age to 51.
Exemptions were only really made for health reasons or essential occupations.
“I worry – we have disarmed militarily, self-evidently. We’ve largely dismantled our military and industrial base, which is a big problem,” the former MI6 chief told the Independent.
“We have, for many years, been completely free of any form of existential threat.
“We’ve unforgivably… launched a set of wars of choice, which have imposed sacrifice needlessly on young people and there’s great cynicism about this idea of collective effort to defend your country.
“I think we’re more comfortable thinking about the army as like the England football team; they go and do their thing over there and we watch it on telly – and that can’t happen anymore.”
When it comes to the specifics of what needs to change about conscription, he admitted that he's not entirely sure.
“You’d have to ask a soldier about the actual efficacy of things like conscription. I have no idea,” he added.
“I know that it just needs to be a more integrated feature of everyday life.
“I think that will bring broader benefits. So I think this is probably more about a more creative and broader conception of what the reserves is.”
On conspiracy theories suggesting that Trump is working for Russia, Sir Alex doesn't think that's very likely.
“I mean, who knows? I personally don’t think he’s a Russian agent,” he said.
“I went out of my way not to find out because why would you want to know? So I don’t know.”
The ex-spy chief said whether he is in bed with the Russians or not is 'not the point'.
More importantly, the fact that the US President 'agrees with Vladimir Putin,' is what Sir Alex believes we need to worry about.
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Russia, UK News, US News, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine
Anish Vij