Labour defence review proposes a ‘Home Guard' to protect UK from attack, report claims
The Sunday Times reports that thousands would be recruited to a force echoing the Local Defence Volunteers militia created in 1940 as Britain's 'last line of defence' during the Second World War, nicknamed 'Dad's Army'.
The new force drawn from the civilian population would be sent to guard sites such as airports, power plants and coastal hubs where undersea internet cables join the shoreline, according to outlet.
The plans are reportedly included in the forthcoming strategic defence review, commissioned last July, that is being overseen by defence secretary John Healey and led by former Nato chief Lord Robertson and retired general Sir Richard Barrons.
Both of the latter two figures are reported to believe that the strategy, referred to internally as 'hedgehog Britain', is vital in order to bolster defences at sites they fear to be vulnerable to attack at a time of increasing uncertainty - although military chiefs say the country is not at risk of an invasion.
Last year, Mr Healey confirmed that the size of the British Army had fallen below 70,000 for the firs time since 1793. The Independent revealed in March that Labour planned to plough £1.3 billion into recruitment to bolster the armed forces.
In its report, The Sunday Times cited senior sources as pointing to the recent fire at an electrical substation which shut down Heathrow Airport in March as evidence that greater security is required.
The 'root and branch' review will reportedly warn that the UK's armed forces lack sufficient personnel and resources to meet the scale of threat, and will also recommend that Sir Keir Starmer 's government invest in a shield system to protect the UK against missile attacks.
Asked about the report,, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: 'We will not be drawn into commenting on claims regarding the Strategic Defence Review ahead of publication.
'The UK's Strategic Defence Review sets out a path for the next decade to transform the armed forces to ensure we're prepared for emerging threats – making Britain secure at home and strong abroad while transforming defence to drive innovation and economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.
'We have also announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, boosting funding to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, an increase of £13.4bn in cash terms, with an ambition to reach 3 per cent in the next parliament.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why Diane Abbott told Jeremy Corbyn not to set up new party
Diane Abbott advised Jeremy Corbyn against establishing a new political party, citing the difficulties new parties face under Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system. Despite her advice, Ms Abbott believes Mr Corbyn's unnamed new party, launched last month with Zarah Sultana, will exceed expectations due to widespread public dissatisfaction with current politics. Ms Abbott, a Labour MP for over 40 years, indicated she would not be joining Mr Corbyn's new venture, despite expressing disappointment with the current Labour government 's policies. She criticised the government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action, labelling it a "complete disgrace" and an attempt to suppress protest. Ms Abbott expressed anger at not being called by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to speak after racist comments by Conservative donor Frank Hester, suggesting political motives from both the Conservatives and Labour.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Fresh wave of asylum hotel protests expected after Epping ruling
A wave of protests outside hotels used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers is expected in the coming days. It comes as the latest figures showed there were more than 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels, marking a rise of 8% during Labour's first year in office. Stand Up To Racism is preparing to hold counter-protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers on Friday, including in Bournemouth, Cardiff and Leeds, with further demonstrations expected on Saturday. Meanwhile, councils across the country controlled by Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK are investigating whether they could pursue legal challenges against asylum hotels. This follows a judge granting Epping Forest District Council a temporary injunction on Tuesday that blocked asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Essex. The council had argued the injunction was needed amid 'unprecedented levels of protest and disruption' in connection with asylum seeker accommodation. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said the people of Epping who protested and its council have 'led the way', writing in The Telegraph that 'our country's patience has snapped'. His Conservative colleague Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said on Thursday that people have 'every right' to protest over asylum hotels in their areas. Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this parliament in 2029. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper insisted Labour had taken 'crucial steps' in the past year towards this by cutting the asylum backlog and money spent on the asylum system, increasing returns of failed asylum seekers and overhauling appeals. While the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels has risen, Government spending on asylum in the UK is down 12%, data published on Thursday showed. The number waiting on an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June dropped below 100,000 for the first time in four years. Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation, known as contingency accommodation, if they are awaiting assessment of their claim or have had a claim approved and there is not enough longer-term accommodation available. When there is not enough housing, the Home Office – which has a legal obligation to provide accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute – can move people to alternatives such as hotels and large sites, like former military bases. Amid hotel protests, campaigners including Rape Crisis and Refuge have warned conversations about violence against women and girls are being 'hijacked by an anti-migrant agenda' which they argued fuels divisions and harms survivors.
Telegraph
25 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The longstanding neglect of working-class pupils puts Britain to shame
SIR – Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, writes (Commentary, August 21) that the state has 'failed white working-class pupils', as in 2024 only 19 per cent of them achieved a strong pass in maths and English GCSE. This is hardly surprising, particularly in the case of boys. I taught at six high schools in a 40-year career, and never came across any initiatives that were specifically directed at such children. When I began teaching in 1977, there were no special plans for anyone. Then, the focus became improving the results of girls, especially in IT, science and technical subjects. When pupil performance data began to be used, focus shifted to different ethnic minority groups. Some of the lowest performing schools are to be found in towns such as Morecambe, Blackpool and Clacton – schools where the vast majority of children are white working-class. Another shift in focus is needed. David S Ainsworth Manchester SIR – The real problem is not that the state has failed pupils, but that parents have. Teachers attempt to educate their pupils to achieve the highest possible results they can – but without consistent support from parents, too many children will underachieve. Eric Mansfield Clitheroe, Lancashire SIR – I was a white working-class child – but I was not let down by the state: I studied at a grammar school. I have spent my life feeling so grateful for having been given that chance. Margaret O'Connell Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire SIR – Some 30 years ago I started teaching in a social priority school – one where a child with exceptional social circumstances is considered higher priority for a place. Most of the students had psycholinguistic problems, and there was a long wait for speech and language services. So I started a communication opportunity group scheme (Cogs). This involved integrating communication teaching into the curriculum. Cogs has been shown to get results – but has been taken up abroad much more than in the UK. When will we learn? Rosemary Sage West Haddon, Northamptonshire SIR – I have a school book completed by the brother of my grandmother, when he was a 14-year-old pupil in Derbyshire in 1860. The book includes all the mathematics necessary for somebody wishing to enter the building trade. Typical titles include 'Equation of Payments' and 'Measuring by the Yard Square as Pavers, Painters, Plasterers and Joiners'. The book is also beautifully illustrated. I don't know whether he became a builder, but his schooling provided the necessary education. It's shameful that we no longer seem able to do the same.
