The Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Richard Knighton, has said he cannot see conscription returning in the short term, while warning that the UK must increase the size of both its regular forces and reserves as global security pressures intensify.
Speaking to Andrew Marr on LBC, Sir Richard said there are currently no plans to reintroduce conscription, but declined to rule it out over the longer term. “I cannot see conscription returning in the short term, but the situation in the world may deteriorate very significantly,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to predict out beyond the next 10 years. Right now, there are no plans to bring in conscription.”
Listen to the full interview on LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr at 6pm on LBC this evening.
Instead, he said the immediate priority was expanding manpower through voluntary means. Asked whether now was the time to recruit more people into the reserves, Sir Richard replied: “Yes, is the short answer. The commitment in the SDR was to grow the size of reserves, but also, actually, we need to grow the size of our regular force.” He pointed to the UK’s distinct historical experience with national service, noting that conscription ended in 1960, while many European states retained it into the 1990s and beyond.
Sir Richard also expressed confidence that the public would respond if the country were threatened. “I have every confidence in the fighting spirit of the nation,” he told Marr. “Whenever this nation has been asked, it stood up. What I was asking last night was for the nation to step up in the face of that threat.”
The interview followed Sir Richard’s speech at RUSI and ranged well beyond force numbers. On relations with Washington, he said the UK could trust the United States militarily despite recent political rhetoric. “From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff down to the most junior person that I deal with in the US armed forces, they are our friends and our allies and our comrades,” he said, adding that he did not recognise Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “characterisation of Europe” and stressed that President Trump had reaffirmed US commitment to NATO and Article Five.
Sir Richard also confirmed that discussions are under way on strengthening the UK’s integrated air and missile defence, sometimes compared to an Iron Dome-style system. “Yes, they are,” he said. “As the threat has evolved, Russia’s capability and willingness to use ballistic and cruise missiles has become more apparent, and it’s become clear that that peace dividend needs to be reversed.” While acknowledging the scale of the challenge, he said the UK would “definitely see improvements by the end of the decade.”
On Russia, Sir Richard warned that Moscow was preparing for a prolonged conflict. “They’re spending 7% of GDP on defence, and 40% of government spending is going on to defence,” he said, while also highlighting the determination he had seen among Ukrainian forces during recent visits.
Listen to LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr for the full interview.
Chinny!
WOKKA
He is right not to rule it out, however some functions will be replaced by robotiosation. I can envisage all three services being transformed in the next decade. Our young people will always answer to the colours when there is a direct threat to the country.
I agree that the youth or the young would answer the call of our islands were directly threatened however I can’t see any enemy ever having the capabilities to invade our islands so any possible war in the future will either be in Asia or in Eastern Europe both of which would be a hard sell in my job I come into contact with young adults quite a bit I’ve spoken to some about this and many of them feel there being left behind in favour of foreigners I’ve been told if they want someone to fight then get them to do it , I’ve heard people say things like they have had there hours cut so that other people can get fulltime hours admittedly that was a female in a care job so u likely to join the military however there is a lot of bad taste in young peoples mouths over how things are in the uk and I don’t think they would want to fight for a country that teats them unfairly
I agree with him, I don’t want conscription diluting the professionalism of our military.
Whenever one of the Chiefs makes statements on the need to expand, it would be nice if a Minister agreed.
But when does it ever happen? So it is just words, nothing to get excited about until a government arrives that will take defence of the realm seriously.
OT, I read on X that Poland has taken delivery of over 200 K9 SP guns in the period it has taken HMG and the British Army to talk, talk some more, announce RCH155 with no competition, and still not place an order, confirm numbers, or confirm who will use it, though that part is obvious to me and anyone aware of the ORBAT.
Until we take defence seriously and not just as a means of making jobs, Russia, China, anyone, will not take us seriously.
Also apparently Poland has ordered 1000 k2 tanks for 6.9 billion and we have spent 6.2billion on Ajax something isn’t right someone needs to go to jail for this