Preparedness in the UK - or lack of

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AIBU to wonder why the UK is not recommending preparedness?

An increasing number of countries in the EU now officially recommend basic preparedness - storing water, food, hygiene products and medicine for a few days. But the UK - nothing. Why? I would think the UK would be one of the more obvious countries to be attacked in the event of war, given its high profile status is politics and NATO. I also understand that the military is actively preparing for WW3 on the basis it is seen as very likely.

Are you preparing?

The Prepare website was launched in May 2024
https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/

Im singing that in my head now!!

That website has nothing to do with preparation for war.

At the top is text saying:

”Emergencies such as flooding, fires and power cuts can affect us all. There are simple and effective steps you can take to be more prepared.”

One of the three categories of action is ‘Get involved in your community’. I doubt that’s going to be a lot of use if Russian tanks are coming up the street.

That's a common sense, every day approach with fairly common advice that we all follow as a matter of course for known household emergencies like flooding and fire where risks (likelihood and impact) are already relatively high. Be informed - i.e. check weather/ transport. Be prepared - don't travel unless it's necessary, check your insurance cover, buy sandbags, ensure your smoke alarms are working or whatever. It's not putting us on a war footing.

Quite. I don’t prepare for flooding because I live nowhere near a flood risk. I do prepare for fire by having and testing smoke alarms.

I will not be preparing for war either. Because there isn’t going to be one. And even if there is a war on the UK - there won’t be - stockpiling tins, candles and batteries isn’t going to help me, my family or anyone else.

I am interested in your last sentence. Why do you not thing that being prepared would help you if there was a war? History tells us that wars are not one big nuclear strike, but rather an extended period of misery for most of the population. I agree 6 cans of tuna and some loo roll isn't going to see you through a world war but it might make at least some of it easier on you and your family.

I don't and will not give any head space to this country being attacked and WW3 happening.

I'm sure that the people in Ukraine thought the same!

I’ve got a camping stove but would suffer without water. I wonder if we could cook pasta in beer?

I would not be preparing for ww3 at all. It’s not remotely on my radar as something to worry about. Surely you would be concerned about weather way before stockpiling for a world war?

I grew up in a very unstable political climate, regular bombings, shootings, casualties, closures etc and in terms of general day to day things they all remained the same even against that backdrop. People went to work, they got their groceries, they made meals, they cleaned their homes and their clothes, they watched their neighbours get injured or not come home but they cracked on.

Mumsnet does have a prepper section if anyone is interested:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/preppers

Even in Ukraine the vast majority of the country continued their lives with relative normality.

Except the ones whose homes have been damaged/destroyed, or those suffering the daily shortages of basic supplies or have their utilities destroyed/disrupted.

Just because lots of people havn't been affected, doesn't mean that no one has!

It's a big country!

And, as I understand it, often go through periods of no heating or electricity. Presumably they prepare for that.