A recent survey has found that more than half of young people in the UK aged 16-29 would never defend Britain, raising serious questions about the viability of conscription if war with Russia were to break out.
The findings come as the Government advises households to stockpile food amid warnings that conflict with Moscow could occur within 1000 days. At the same time, defence spending remains a point of contention, with the military reportedly underfunded.
Defence Spending Comparisons
Russia, currently engaged in a war with Ukraine, spends 7.5% of its GDP on defence. For comparison, when Margaret Thatcher sent a task force to the Falklands in 1982, UK defence spending was around 5.5%. Last year, UK defence spending was less than half of that figure.
The Chancellor has suggested that defence spending might reach 3.5% of GDP in ten years' time, a timeline that critics argue is too slow given the perceived immediacy of the threat.
Survey Findings on Willingness to Fight
In the most recent significant study, 51% of under-30s said they would simply refuse to fight. This statistic has sparked debate about the factors contributing to this reluctance.
One factor cited is that one in five people in the UK were not born here, a figure that is much higher in the conscription-age group. Another major factor is believed to be the influence of social media, which some argue amplifies negative sentiments about the country.
The article notes that while some may be willing to defend other causes, their own nation is not seen as worth fighting for by a significant portion of the younger generation.
