Does anyone think there's a real chance of conscription?

The WW2 conscript army kept fighting because they were promised the NHS, welfare state, council housing, and all that was delivered after the war. That’s all been dismantled.

I thought Churchill was voted out post war election because his party weren't promising any of that at all.

I thought they were fighting as having a common enemy unites countries. In fact Nazi targeted working class areas of country for bombing hoping to start a class war - well that what one TV documenatry was telling me.

It’s your choice how you think of me and my values. I wouldn’t be offended as I understand why others have opinions and opposing views but nothing would get us to enter into any act of war or support of war.

I haven't seen this but do post covid watch less news.

TBH I have kids in age range but not worried yet. There's a lot that would have to happen to get from where we are now to where conscription was seriously being considered. Some of that would depend on what type of war we were finding oursleves fighting.

I think countries nearer Russain borders are having these conversations but I think it fearmongering for UK at moment.

Because the social contract has been broken

When the last labour leader Tony Blair took us in to war there was no subscription then.

With all due respect, that was a considerable amount of time ago and we are in quite a different place now.

That's interesting. When and by whom were they promised those things? 1942? 1940? By Labour MPs?

That's another question I didn't ask my lot before they died.

From another thread

constantgarden · 25/01/2024 00:18

The WW2 conscript army kept fighting because they were promised the NHS, welfare state, council housing, and all that was delivered after the war. That’s all been dismantled.

@JenniferBooth yes I do think so. In any event, perhaps if more people stepped up to volunteer in the community to plug some of the gaps, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

You think so? When ppl see that disability benefits are being cut so if they are maimed by war they know they wont be looked after by their country afterwards.
The reason many people laughed at the idea of a Citizens Army is because their country treats them like crap,

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5079184-supermarkets-employing-more-people-but-not-giving-out-hours?page=1

Well, I”m not sure that would sit too well with the rest of us if push came to shove.

Would you defend them or your home if you had to?

I’m not worried , we would just refuse. My family has some very specific religious beliefs that would mean we are all unable to participate in any kind of war related activity.

People need to understand the Russian 1st Army are all gone, wasted by Putin with his cold war era expansion plans....100,000s of men have had there lives taken away, children losing dads, girls losing partners....it's utterly tragic. Same in the Ukraine...graves yards the size of football pitches...for what?

Russia don't have an army to match Britain let alone Europe....

I hope Trumps advisors find a way of showing Trump that Putin can't be trusted and any deal must punish Russia but at the same time allow Putin to walk away without looking like it's a total defeat because that may well see Putin snuffed and someone worse takes his shoes but I suppose there's always a chance his replacement might be more moderate...but my gut says that's unlikely.

We have a tiny number of troops and most of our kit is in Ukraine now. Or are you in the US? In which case you'll be fine.

Agreed. We can no longer pretend that war is just carried out remotely by cyber attacks. Anyone still thinking that hasn't watched the news in the last two years.

I didn't say there is no 'cyber stuff' as you vaguely refer to it, but everyone knows that in Ukraine there are also regular troops including trench warfare.

It's been vaguely talked of... I can't see it working, or not in the way it did in previous wars. As has been said, we're not talking frontline trench warfare, so they don't necessarily need numbers and honestly, this day and age I expect a lot of people would just go 'No thanks, would rather go to prison then go and get killed or kill people who haven't done anything to me'.

It might be different if there were some threat of actual invasion of the country, but I think that's not a likelihood in the UK.

I'm not going to worry about it in the near future though.

But the essential dimensions of war haven’t changed, That’s why we are talking about a physical peacekeeping presence.

If you wanted no judgement, then why the Starmer comment?

Why do you think that his sons would not to conscripted?

@WinterMorn

the reality is that Ukraine didn’t have the kind of resources we have at their disposal, our troops are quite different plus we have much better kit!

No, today’s armed forces are highly trained professionals not the cannon fodder of yesteryear. My dd is in the armed forces and her training was 3 years long before qualified, hers isn’t even the longest period. Any national service or forced joining would be pointless as they wouldn’t even get through the training before their 2 years or whatever is up! Plus they recruit people who actually want to be there.

No
Stop scaremongering

The situation in Ukraine suggests otherwise.

I think that’s very true, and as other posters have said, warfare has changed significantly over the years. I don’t think conscription is likely but I’m sure plans will be in place in case the government believe it’s necessary. Conscription plans were drawn up during the Falklands conflict, but the world was very different then.