Lord Robertson Urges UK National Service Revival

Lord Robertson, a former NATO secretary general and Labour peer who authored the government's strategic defence review, has urged the reintroduction of a Swedish-style national service model in Britain to bolster national resilience against threats from Russia and Iran.

Testifying before Parliament's joint committee on the National Security Strategy, Robertson proposed assigning legally defined roles in civil resilience to every resident aged 16 to 70 during wartime or crises. These roles could encompass military conscription or civilian duties, such as maintaining critical infrastructure or providing rescue services. "I think there is a case for that," he said. "It might go against the grain in terms of the way in which we think of ourselves. But I think given the nature of the threats that we now face, both in a civil as well as a military context, I think there would be a case for putting that forward... ideas like that should certainly be on the agenda."

Robertson highlighted ongoing hostile actions, including cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, espionage, and attacks on undersea cables, warning that many Britons remain unaware of these daily risks. He drew...