Ready yourself for the Citizen's Army

[ChedderGorgeous]

Is the head of the army being sensationalist to highlight lack of army funding or is the reality of a citizen's army in the UK a step towards a new era of conscription? Both parties would play anything like this down in an election year.

He's trying to highlight the need for more funding for the forces.

Conscription to do what? Half of the U.K. can barely waddle half a mile, let alone take a physical position in the armed forces.

So I’m guessing it’s simply intended to draw attention to lack of funding / shit conditions.

Yes I agree. It's not Barry from Watford suggesting it though, it's the current head of the army, so worth debating.

I think the obesity levels in the UK would only permit conscription of 18- 25 year olds practically, as apposed to WWII where I think it went up to 40 yrs

It would be good way to everyone fit.
And everyone education caught up because of all covid gaps.

In this era of #BeKind, then telling people to potentially kill their fellow man... it is nuts.

What would be the upper age limit anyway? Asking for me.

OP—there are plenty of obese young people!

This is a preposterous attention seeking stunt which nobody in their right mind would consider workable. The 21st century British population would never put up with conscription, even if enough of us were usable. What are they going to do, throw up emergency Nightingale prisons for everyone who says "fuck that"?

But proportionally less than older people I'm sure!

The boiling frog analogy suggests that mass social norms can be shifted if someone has enough powers and will

Who knows. Probably a low age limit to start then could rise if more people needed. I think ww2 was 40 or 41 from memory and was 45 yrs in USA in same war

What makes you think that the British are fundamentally different from Ukrainians?

Hopefully conscripting women too this time 🤞🏼

where is the sense of pride on here?

if there’s conscriptions we are in shit street and would do well to volunteer than risk losing

Its sad that british values are so meaningless

Such a shame that if there was a need, there isn’t some sort of wider club of European nations who could join their armies together for the common good, isn’t it? Oh…

But then, I expect all those fit young men who voted for Brexit to avoid the creation of a putative EU army will be the first to volunteer to protect old Blighty if the need arises, so it’ll all be fine.

it'll be 18-60 i guess, like Ukraine.

I cant really see women being conscripted. We'd be the laughing stock of the world if we sent women out to fight.

The implication is that UN forces are simply not enough. Sweden and Finland are already readying citizens.

Conscription to do what? Half of the U.K. can barely waddle half a mile, let alone take a physical position in the armed forces.

This is the plan, sign em up and the "enemy" takes one look at the front line, pisses themselves laughing and asks themselves, what's the point, hardly worth the effort.

If UK was itself invaded then yes possibly. Assuming a war elsewhere then much smaller age range you would think.

Maybe it’s the call the nation needs - step up, sharpen up, get ready. Get fit and healthy, get disciplined, be on your toes.

Would reduce strain on the NHS, reduce crime, increase productivity, everyone fighting fit, might win more Olympic medals (this is all tongue in cheek btw)

I can’t see it happening- we aren’t in early/mid 20th century and people are more confident in arguing their right to choose.
I think it’s a bluff to get more funding. He knows there would be public outcry and it would be career suicide for politicians who push it through. They’d much rather give him the money and stay in power.
Honestly, morale in the country is so low I can’t see many signing up to fight for such a corrupt and self-serving political class.

Pride in what? Being born British isn't an achievement.

I think Finland still has national service

We don't have British values anymore. We're just lots of individuals sitting alone in our houses necking antidepressants, watching shite on television and worrying about how to pay the bills.

I would fight to defend my own country.

I wouldn't go to another country to kill the people there.

I think it was meant as pride in fighting for your country as opposed to just pride in being British