Calls for the UK to “train and equip” a “citizen army” have provoked amusement and exasperation in Manchester.
The head of the British Army General Sir Patrick Sanders has voiced concerns about the UK’s ability to counter future Russian aggression, as the British military reaches its smallest size for more than 300 years.
The mixed reactions to Sanders’ recommendation reveal an existential challenge for the British military, which many younger Brits perceive as distant from modern values and aspirations.
According to YouGov polling, 38% of under-40s would refuse to serve in the armed forces in the event of a new world war, with 30% abstaining even if Britain was facing imminent invasion.
Mancunian Matters hit the streets to ask whether locals would bite the bullet and join a citizen army to fight for King and Country.
Feature image: Diego González on Unsplash
