Britain has not had conscription for over 60 years.
but Comments from military leaders about what would happen if that happened NATO go to war with Russia The possibility of being called into battle feels closer than in previous generations.
The outgoing British army chief, General Sir Patrick Saunders, said such conflicts needed to be “a whole-of-nation business”, reigniting the debate. defensive cut and volunteer to fight.
Here, Sky News looks at how the UK has used conscription in the past and what military experts and the government are saying about its return.
What is conscription? When was conscription last introduced in the UK?
Conscription is a legal requirement for certain groups to join the military.
The scheme was introduced in January 1916, 18 months after the start of World War I, and was mandatory by law for all single men between the ages of 18 and 41.
There were exceptions for certain workers and those deemed medically unfit, and a few months later married men were also called up.
This law was not widespread. More than 200,000 people protested against this. Approximately 2.5 million people were conscripted into the military through conscription, which continued until 1920. Although the main conflict with Germany ended in 1918, Britain said conscription was extended to “enable the military to meet continuing problems in the Empire and parts of Europe.” National Diet website.
During World War II, conscription was reinstated, with approximately 1.5 million people joining the armed forces, and was extended to women for the first time.
The system began in May 1939 with a “restrictive” conscription that required single men between the ages of 20 and 22 to register for military training, amid growing concerns about a new war in Europe. When Britain declared war on Nazi Germany in September of the same year, the law was tightened and expanded to include men aged 18 to 41.
Conscription applied from December 1941 to women, unmarried childless widows between the ages of 20 and 30. At the same time, the age range for men was changed, requiring military service up to age 51 and some form of military service. This was due to a shortage of men for police and other duties during the war.
Could conscription be reinstated?
Military experts are divided on whether conscription is a realistic prospect in 21st century Britain.
military analyst Professor Michael Clarke said to Sky News Daily Podcast Britain will probably have to return to a “national army”, but he stressed that this “is not the same as conscription”.
“It needs to be a citizen army, but it’s going to need to be a citizen volunteer army of the kind that we’ve had in the past and probably will need to have again in the future,” he said.
He said the British military “almost never” had conscription in its more than 360-year history, adding that it was “completely antithetical to the way Britain thinks about its armed forces”.
But former British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told Sky News it was time to “think the unthinkable”. consider conscription.
He was not a fan of the idea: “Conscription is an absolute abomination for most career military personnel, and I consider myself one of them,” he said.
“Traditionally and culturally, the British military has relied on highly specialized soldiers who have served for many years, volunteered their time and had a wealth of experience, and that is exactly what we all want. ”
But given the current global situation and the cuts in defense spending since the end of the Cold War, he said it was time to “move past many cultural constraints and assumptions” and “carefully consider” military conscription.
“Sooner or later, if the military cannot improve its recruitment methods, it will clearly have to consider other methods in the event of a conflict,” he added.
“Right time” to think about conscription
What does the government say about conscription?
Defense Secretary James Heapy has said talk of Britain introducing conscription if NATO goes to war with Russia is “nonsense”.
Mr Heapey said plans had been “long in place” to “mobilize volunteers” in case Britain entered a new conflict, but that “no one is thinking about reinstating conscription”. ” he emphasized.
Number 10 also denied suggestions that conscription was being considered, saying there were “no plans” to change the British army’s “proud tradition of being a volunteer force”.
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“The world today has the atmosphere of 1939.”
What is a citizen army?
The militia is made up of volunteers rather than professional soldiers.
At the start of World War I, 750,000 men volunteered to join the British Army in just eight weeks.
Volunteers had to undergo a series of medical and physical fitness tests before being accepted as soldiers.
Former Royal Navy chief Admiral Lord West told Sky News this week that Britain would need to “mobilize” in the event of war between NATO and Russia, adding that citizen volunteers could join. I hinted that it was expensive.
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What is the difference between conscription and national service?
National Service was the standard peacetime form of conscription in Britain, introduced after the Second World War.
This law went into effect in January 1949 and required all males between the ages of 17 and 21 to serve in one of the armed forces for 18 months.
It was abolished in 1960, and the last military personnel were discharged in 1963.
British political parties have debated whether to reintroduce some form of the service in numerous elections since the 1960s.
Calls for its revival often focus on volunteer work and public service for young people, separate from the military.
Last year, a think tank proposed a ‘Great British National Service’ volunteering scheme, which won support from the Leader of the House of Commons. penny mordauntformer Conservative Party minister Rory Stewart.
The group proposed a “civic” national service scheme for 16-year-olds, which would require them to complete a set number of volunteer tasks, although it would not be compulsory.
What happens if I refuse to be drafted?
People who refuse military service on moral grounds are called conscientious objectors. They may oppose fighting for political, religious, or other reasons.
In World War I and World War II, conscientious objectors had to appear in court to plead their case.
If accepted, they might have been given a non-combat role. If it was rejected, they had to join up or risk fines or imprisonment.
