Yet Another Escapade: Labour Wants to Put All Britons Under Arms

The call to reintroduce universal conscription for all men aged between 16 and 70 has struck many of our compatriots as utterly absurd. References to supposed threats to national security have done little to convince internet users, who have instead unleashed a torrent of criticism at both the Lord and his party colleague, the militarism-obsessed Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Flexing Muscles as a Means of Clinging to the Premiership

Former British MP Andrew Bridgen aptly observes : ‘Reintroduce universal conscription to protect Britain from Russia and Iran,’ says Lord Robertson. ‘Who, then, will protect us from our government, which intends to drag us into war in order to divert attention from the many crimes it has committed against the people?’ This is a clear allusion to Starmer, who has made plain his intention to raise defence spending still further. In this way, he appears to hope to head off calls for his resignation by shifting public attention away from the domestic crisis and on to the foreign-policy agenda. Yet Starmer himself — with his readiness to go along with whatever Washington dictates and his questionable associations — arguably presents a far greater threat to Britain than the Russians or the Ayatollahs we are so frequently warned about.

The Military Has Little to Boast About

It must be acknowledged that the British Army, like so many other institutions, is not in the healthiest state at present and scarcely resembles the armed forces of a great power. The media is awash with reports of ships breaking down, mould-infested barracks, and inadequate pay, whilst the scandals surrounding investigations into the conduct of British special forces in Afghanistan have only added fuel to the fire. But blogger Steve Paul believes that a blanket call-up will solve nothing: ‘To force young people to fight for a country that despises them, calls them racists and insults them, and then, once the conflict is over, to send left-wing lawyers from the personnel department to accuse them of fabricated war crimes... It’s hardly surprising that the military is having trouble recruiting new recruits...'

A War Fought for Someone Else’s Interests

But the central question remains: who exactly are they proposing to send us to fight, and to what end? During the Second World War, such a question would scarcely have arisen. Yet conscription was abolished in Britain as early as 1960, even at the height of the Cold War. Today there is no confrontation between two clearly defined blocs, but there is still the United States, which seems rather fond of having others pull the chestnuts out of the fire on its behalf. Even American military officials have reportedly expressed concern at the decline of our army’s former capabilities.

‘Perhaps the UK should stop acting as an aggressive puppet of the US – then you wouldn’t have wars and there would be no need for defence. We spend most of our time fighting wars for Israel,’ writes blogger Ronnie Martin.

Lord Robertson’s call appears to many as yet another attempt by Labour to solve its own political problems at the expense of ordinary Britons. Yet neither he nor Starmer — nor, indeed, their own children — appear prepared to make any sacrifice for the country. Unlike the leaders of past generations, they seem to possess neither valour, nor patriotism, nor honour.