Government preparing legislation to call up thousands of former soldiers
New legislation will be unveiled by the government which will allow for the rapid deployment of tens of thousands of former military personnel which see them summoned back to military, as there is growing fears the UK will be at war with Russia within three years.
Under the new legislation there will be an upper age limit for the strategic reserve, which will comprise of former armed forces personnel instead of civilians, the age will rise from 55 to 65.
The government is planning to lower the condition required to call up reservists to go back to duty.
Currently regulations only allow conscription if the UK is under a “national danger, great emergency or attack in the UK,” the threshold will be “warlike preparations.”
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Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden issued a warning that the UK must now “actively prepare for the possibility of the UK coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario.”
McFadden told MPs in Parliament that Britain has entered into “an era in which we face confrontation with those who are threatening security,” citing Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine as “the most obvious and pressing example of this.”
The British Army’s new chief who is former SAS has insisted that we have three years to “prepare” for war and the need for improvements is “urgent.”
General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff previously said he will increase the “lethality” of the army by not increasing troops numbers.
General Walker said there is “just enough time” for him to “prepare, act, and re-establish credible land forces.”
Speaking about Russia, General Walker said, “It doesn’t matter how it ends. I think Russia will emerge from it probably weaker objectively – or absolutely – but still very, very dangerous and wanting some form of retribution for what we have done to help Ukraine.
He said that Vladimir Putin will come out from the Ukraine war “very, very dangerous” and warned he will be “wanting retribution” against those who helped Kyiv, no matter if Moscow wins or losses.
“The point here is when you think they [Russia] are down, they will come roaring back to get their vengeance.”
General walker who is also a former special forces officer has vowed to triple the army’s fighting ability by the end of the decade, he said at a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
General Sir Patrick Sanders, the former Chief of the General Staff (CGS) previously said in a speech that the UK should “train and equip” the public for a “citizen army.”
Sir Patrick said the UK has to be ready for a potential land war, but cautioned even that would be “not enough.”
He pointed to our allies in eastern and northern Europe who are currently “laying the foundation for national mobilisation.”
The Army chief said on Wednesday to increase numbers in the armed forces to prepare for all out war will need to be a “whole of nation undertaking.”
