LONDON: British citizens should be prepared to fight in a potential land war, the highest ranking army officer General Patrick Sanders said on Wednesday.

The chief of the general staff said any conflict would need to be a “whole-of-nation undertaking” and that citizens should be trained and equipped to be in a state of readiness.

The general’s remarks come after the UK defence ministry said last year that it would cut overall numbers in the UK’s professional army from 82,000 to 73,000 by 2025.

“Taking preparatory steps to enable placing our societies on a war footing when needed are now not merely desirable but essential,” Sanders said in a speech at an armoured vehicles conference in southwest London.

“Within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000, folding in our reserve and strategic reserve.” Sanders, who steps down later this year, said the UK could not rely on its navy and air power, arguing that “we must be able to credibly fight and win wars on land”. UK allies were already doing so, he said.

“Our friends in eastern and northern Europe, who feel the proximity of the Russian threat more acutely, are already acting prudently, laying the foundations for national mobilisation,” he added.

“Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.” Last week the chair of Nato’s military committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said civilians in member states should be prepared for a potential future war with Russia.

A large number of civilians would have to be called up if conflict accelerates in Europe, he added. Earlier this month UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said that the UK wants to increase defence spending from 2.1 per cent of GDP to 2.5pc in the future.

In a speech last week the minister said that the world was “moving from a post-war to pre-war world”. The UK, he said, must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2024