Brits urged to stock up on number of key items as part of new ‘war book’

The UK Government is preparing a campaign urging Brits to be prepared for national emergencies

According to a report published in The Guardian today (26 August), Brits up and down the country will be told to stock up on tinned food, boiled water and other basic supplies in the event of a crisis caused by extreme weather or attacks by a hostile state.

"Safeguarding national security is the first priority of any government," a spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said in a statement to The Guardian.

"We’re committed to raising awareness of simple steps households can take to make themselves more resilient, as well as driving forward the home defence programme to build our country’s preparedness for various threats."

The report comes just weeks after millions of Brits received an emergency alert on their phones, warning of a 'very high risk' of wildfires.

Brits to be told to be prepared for 'various threats' (Getty Stock Images)

Campaign reportedly part of government's 'War Book'

Initially reported in the Financial Times, the public information campaign is said to be part of the Labour government's ongoing 'War Book', which aims to outline potential scenarios in which an international conflict may affect the UK.

The plans will also include incidents such as cyberattacks, which come amid warnings that hackers linked to Iran temporarily shut down a power plant last month, as first reported by The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Andy Burnham's predecessor Keir Starmer was previously warned about escalating threats from Russia, with intelligence assessments suggesting that Vladimir Putin could attack a NATO country within the next four years. The Prime Minister visited Ukraine earlier this week, meeting with counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and condemning Russia's ongoing invasion of the Eastern European nation. He also shared blueprints for long-range missiles with Ukraine, a move which was heavily condemned by Russia.

Burnham hit back against 'outrageous threats' made by Russia and pledged to continue UK support for Ukraine.

The report follows Andy Burnham's recent trip to Ukraine (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Plans to update the UK's so-called 'War Book' are not new, with Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton previously warning that the British public should expect to adapt how they think about resilience.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme back in June, Sir Knighton said the UK was living through 'the most dangerous period that I have known'.

"I'm very clear that this is the most dangerous time I have known in my working life," he said.

"And the risks and threats to this country are greater than I have known since the Cold War.

"And it is important that society and all of us recognise and understand that and that may mean that we need to make different choices and different priorities."

(Getty Stock Images)

Numerous reports have circulated over the past couple of years regarding survival kits Brits are advised to keep in their homes, which includes:

• Battery powered or wind-up torch
• Spare batteries
• A first-aid kit
• Battery or wind-up radio
• Medication
• Bottled water – the World Health Organisation recommends an absolute minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day, however 10 litres per person per day would be ideal
• Non perishable food items
• Copies of important documents
• Warm clothing
• Personal hygiene items