Lord Robertson: Revive National Service for UK Security

0:00On April 27th, Lord Robertson, the former NATO chief and author of Britain's Defense Review, is pushing for national service to come back. He says a Swedish-style system should be on the table, where everyone from 16 to 70 has a role in defending the country against today's threats. He's been vocal lately, calling out his own labor government for complacency on defense spending. Last week, the House of Lords Committee he chairs demanded a clear plan to hit 5 percent of GDP on defense. It's already 6 months late. In the UK, national service ended in 1960 after running from 1949, making fit men aged 17 to 21 serve 18. Months in the forces, Sweden's model mixes military duty, civil rescue, and infrastructure work, while places like Finland, conscript, and Germany just win voluntary, post-Ukraine. Preparing before Parliament on Monday, Robertson urged a national conversation about sabotage,

1:00cyber attacks, disinformation, and spying from Russia, and Iran. He warns we're blind to these daily hits, like undersea cable attacks echoing the 1930s complacency. This push signals a wake-up call for Britain to rethink security as a whole country effort, before a real crisis forces our hand.