Hundreds of former soldiers say they will refuse to answer Andy Burnham's call to return to uniform and fight for Britain if war with Russia erupts. A growing movement of veterans claims Labour abandoned soldiers with mental health issues and left them homeless on the streets.
The backlash comes just days before the Prime Minister joins the nation in paying respect to fallen veterans at the Armistice ceremony in London and across the country next week.
Planned Mobilisation Next Spring
The Government plans a mass mobilisation next spring to evaluate how many of the estimated 95,000 retired soldiers will answer a national 'call to duty' and make themselves available to rejoin their regiments. Men and women who served in the Armed Forces and have a liability to be 're-called' back into the military as part of their original terms of service will be contacted in early 2027, with the plan to boost the size and capability of the regular Army in time of war or major conflict.
Fears that Russia is about to attack Europe with drones and broaden the Ukraine conflict have resulted in military chiefs putting the Army on a red-alert 'war-footing', with senior commanders advising the Government it will need to call on former soldiers in any conflict and introduce conscription.
Veterans' Anger Over Treatment
In dozens of online posts, former soldiers say they will not fight for the country and claim migrants are being homed before veterans, while benefits claimants get priority over them. The majority of personnel who need help are forced to rely on charities and friends for assistance.
Pete Watson, who served 19 years in the Army, said the Government ignores the problems former soldiers experience until it needs them, then suddenly heaps praise on them because it wants them to fight again.
He said: "I left four years ago and I have struggled to get a job, the waiting list for a council house is nine years, so we have been renting in what I can only describe a sub-standard accommodation. I have had lots of talks and advice but no direct help.
"There is no way I will be going back into uniform, I would rather go to prison. Burnham and his team don't care, as far as I am concerned he can recruit the army of benefit claimants who do nothing and seem to get everything. Labour don't care about us."
Pete added: "Burnham's response to the threat from Russia is to stock up on soup and get yourself a wind-up radio - I think that tells you all you need to know about how seriously this Government is taking the threat in Eastern Europe.
"We saw more personnel take their own lives in the years after the Falklands then we lost in the war. It is the same now, I had a friend in the police who has served in the Paras and served in Afghanistan - he took his own life. No one cares and this left-wing circus of a Government has left us marginalised in our own country."
Social Media Criticism and MoD Response
Other posts on social media by veterans claim Labour has more interest in housing foreign nationals than supporting those who have fought for their country, with one post criticising Labour's lack of investment in defence. It said "neither Starmer or Burnham invested in the lads accommodation, which is dire and in urgent need of refurbishment".
Another, who calls himself "the Pirate", said on Telegram: "Can we honestly expect former soldiers to jump back into uniform after the manner in which the Labour party has hounded soldiers for so-called vexatious claims in respect of operations in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.
"Labour failed the military in Afghanistan and continue to do so, veterans have had to rely on charities to get specialist care such as high-tech prosthetic limbs."
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We owe a debt of gratitude to all those who have served our country, and value both the skills they continue to offer our national defence and our responsibility to support them as veterans. Members of the Strategic Reserve provide vital expertise in diverse areas including cyber, medicine, intelligence and communications which defence can call on in a crisis.
"At the same time, we are investing £50 million in Valour to transform veterans' support across the UK, alongside dedicated mental health, housing and employment support ensuring they can access the support they need where and when they need it."
