An MP has claimed that Britons “will be conscripted” if the UK goes to war with Russia.
Afghanistan war veteran and Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells Mike Martin issued the stark warning amidst growing concerns of escalating tensions with Russia.
Speaking to the Express, Martin said: “There’s a significant chance that it [war with Russia] might happen so we must be prepared.”
He added: “Obviously, if we get involved in a general war with Russia, we’ll be conscripting the population – there’s no question about that.”
Martin claimed that Britons “will be conscripted” if the UK goes to war with Russia
MIKE MARTIN WEBSITE
Commenting on the topic of military readiness, the MP said building the military up would decrease the likelihood of a war breaking out.
The veteran emphasised the importance of defences to ensure peace, claiming “you’ve got to [pursue] peace through strength”.
However, he maintained that a direct confrontation with Russia may not even happen, claiming it was unlikely to reach the point of a “generalised war”.
“I think you can see a space in between here and there, where we are increasing the size of the military quite rapidly.”
This comes after the previous government vowed to reintroduce mandatory national service prior to the general election.
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Tory MP for Bournemouth East and former British Army officer Tobias Ellwood urged the Government to reintroduce compulsory national service in order to boost the country’s military capability.
Speaking to the Express, Ellwood said: “Of course we need to bolster land, air, and sea but there needs to be greater resilience and readiness from a British perspective to deter.”
There has been growing concern over Europe’s defence capabilities, especially in light of US reluctance to prioritise European conflicts.
In response to this, Sir Keir Starmer committed to increasing defence expenditure, citing uncertainty surrounding Trump’s refusal to confirm a security guarantee for Europe in the case of a Russian attack.
Sir Keir Starmer committed to increasing defence expenditure
REUTERS
Starmer has been holding talks with the “coalition of the willing” to establish support across the continent and in Canada, aiming to continue support for Ukraine.
He said on Saturday: “We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal. The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.”
“If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a ceasefire to ensure it is a serious, and enduring peace, if they don’t, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war.”
