Former Conservative minister Tobias Ellwood has warned that Britain is "sleepwalking into danger" and called on the Government to reintroduce a modern National Service designed for contemporary threats.
Writing in an opinion piece, Ellwood argued that military commanders, intelligence chiefs and the last Prime Minister have all sounded alarms about a more dangerous world, yet the Government remains "dangerously in denial." He stated that cyber-attacks, sabotage, disinformation and threats to critical infrastructure are already exposing Britain's vulnerabilities.
The Case for a New National Service
Ellwood proposed an eight-month National Service programme for 18-year-olds, followed by annual refresher training. The programme would include training in cyber defence, drone technology, emergency response, infrastructure protection, engineering and safeguarding vital supply chains.
He pointed to Finland and Sweden as models to follow, noting that modern warfare targets society itself, not just soldiers. Ellwood asked who would keep communities functioning if Britain lost electricity, water or communications for 72 hours.
Restoring Civic Duty and Resilience
The former minister argued that National Service would restore civic duty, strengthen national unity and rebuild resilience. He described the proposal as "common sense," not warmongering.
Ellwood drew a historical parallel with 1937, when Britain was dangerously unprepared for what was coming, and warned the country cannot afford to repeat that mistake. He concluded that the threats are real, the warnings are unmistakable, and the Government must introduce a modern National Service "before it's too late."
