Britons who refuse conscription could face severe financial penalties rather than prison, according to historian and author David Swift. The warning comes as concerns grow that the UK might need to introduce compulsory military service amid rising Russian threats.
Rising fears of conflict
A UK security source has acknowledged that Russia is "preparing something", while Prime Minister Andy Burnham has suggested a Russian assault is "inevitable". One of Putin's top allies cautioned he could not "100% exclude" the possibility of "semi-military" action against British installations, after the Armed Forces handed Volodymyr Zelensky's forces the blueprints to manufacture their own Storm Shadow missiles.
Should war erupt, the UK might be forced to implement conscription to bolster its reserves, especially given the Army has dwindled to its smallest size since the early 19th Century, with roughly 74,000 full-time personnel.
Potential penalties for refusal
Speaking to the Express, Swift outlined the penalties that could hit Brits who fail to heed conscription's call. He proposed that fines, rather than jail time, might be levied on those who refuse to register.
He stated: "I imagine it would be fines rather than imprisonment or anything like that, due to: 1. Lack of prison capacity. 2. Difficulty enforcing and lack of legitimacy and 3. That 'conscription', if introduced, would be very much focused around monetary reward."
Regarding the potential scale of these fines, Swift suggested that the UK could follow Greece's lead. In Greece, failure to sign up resulted in a fine of €6,000 (£5,213.19), although in 2019 the country considered scrapping the fine entirely. The Express reached out to the Greek embassy in London for comment but received no response.
Lessons from Switzerland
Swift also suggested Britain could take a leaf out of Switzerland's book, explaining: "In Switzerland, you have to pay an additional three percent in taxes if you refuse military service for the duration of the time you were meant to be in military training."
He added: "This way, the fines are severe enough so that they present a genuine disincentive not to serve (if it was only a few hundred quid you would have lots of people opting out), but not as severe as imprisonment."
Conscription currently seems unlikely. In 2024, former British Army chief General Sir Patrick Sanders declared the UK ought to begin preparing the foundations for "national mobilisation" and a "citizen army" in reaction to the danger from Russia. Number 10 dismissed the proposal, with a spokesman for then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stating the Government had "no intention" of introducing conscription, a position echoed by Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden in March 2025.
Rather, ministers have repeatedly maintained Britain is best defended by a highly skilled, professional armed forces comprised of volunteers, instead of mandatory service.
