{"id":615,"date":"2025-06-26T09:34:25","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T09:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/?p=615"},"modified":"2025-07-10T12:30:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T12:30:44","slug":"if-britain-went-to-war-i-wouldnt-hesitate-to-enlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/26\/if-britain-went-to-war-i-wouldnt-hesitate-to-enlist\/","title":{"rendered":"If Britain went to war I wouldn\u2019t hesitate to enlist"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Keir\t<\/div>
Keir Starmer is talking of a \u2018unity of purpose\u2019 with his defence plans (Picture: Finnbarr Webster\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a self-confessed bleeding heart liberal, I think the Prime Minister was right when he said the best way to deter aggression is with a trained Reserve ready to fight.<\/p>\n

Believing that doesn\u2019t make me a warmonger; it makes me one of the first who\u2019d pick up arms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By every measure, I\u2019m a left-wing stereotype: A metropolitan, millennial, liberal, pro\u2011European, anti\u2011Trump<\/a>, anti-gun, anti-war, Ukraine<\/a>\u2011defending, \u2018woke\u2019, DEI\u2011supporting, internationalist, vegetarian who chooses cycling over driving every time.<\/p>\n

And yet, if my country was threatened<\/a> tomorrow, I would not hesitate to fight for her. <\/p>\n

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typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (placeholder) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tSign up for all of the latest stories\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>Start your day informed with Metro’s <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/news-updates\/?signup-source=news-article\">News Updates<\/a><\/strong> newsletter or get <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/breaking-news?ito=news-article&?signup_source=news-article-link\">Breaking News<\/a> <\/strong>alerts the moment it happens. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This confession \u2013 shared with only a handful of people (until now!) \u2013 tends to short\u2011circuit any conversation.<\/p>\n<p>Progressives hear it and immediately summon images of chest\u2011beating nationalism or indefensible wars waged in our name.<\/p>\n<p>That reflex, while not without historical foundation, exposes a blind spot.<\/p>\n<p>It confuses the abuse of force with the existence of force, and it ignores a hard truth: Our generation has outsourced the defence of democracy to ‘someone else’.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, 2024 YouGov poll revealed only 6% of Britons would volunteer if another world war erupted.<\/p>\n<p>A shocking 36% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 33% of 25- to 49-year-olds said they\u2019d still refuse even if called up. <\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tSign up to Metro's politics newsletter, Alright Gov?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>Craig Munro breaks down Westminster chaos into easy to follow insight, walking you through what the latest policies mean to you. Sent every Wednesday. Sign up <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/alright-gov\/??ito=politics-article&signup-source=politics-article-link\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You only have to cross a few borders to see our brave Ukrainian neighbours \u2013 people our age and younger in battle against an invader. <\/p>\n<p>Their <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/video\/ukraine-military-footage-shows-soldiers-storming-trenches-near-bakhmut-2971735\/\">struggle is daily<\/a>, physical and unimaginably costly \u2013 all for the fundamental right to exist.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, they rely on conscription as well as volunteers, but their bravery reminds us that the liberties we champion and upon which our country is founded \u2013 free speech, human rights, the rule of law \u2013 survive only when citizens are prepared to guard them with something heavier than a hashtag.<\/p>\n<p>In the UK, we need to step up, like our grandparents did in two bloody World Wars. <\/p>\n<p>And so, much to the literal open-mouthed silence of a close friend and the stunned horror of my partner, I confessed I recently contacted both a <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/british-army\/\">British Army<\/a> and Navy Reserve unit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22670748 lazyload\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-1471438966-2730.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>You only have to cross a few borders to see our brave Ukrainian neighbours (Picture: John Moore\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Truthfully, my skills would likely be better used elsewhere, and I\u2019m hardly front\u2011line\u2011fit.<\/p>\n<p>But if just 10% of British adults under 35 joined the Reserves \u2013 that\u2019s roughly 1.3\u202fmillion people \u2013 the mere act would stiffen deterrence, signal unity with allies and, crucially, send a warning shot to the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/vladimir-putin\/\">Putins<\/a> of this world. <\/p>\n<p>None of this requires <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/09\/conscription-absolutely-introduced-across-europe-western-leader-says-22695251\/\">conscription<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What it requires is a cultural reset: Universities that treat Reserve training with the same prestige as Erasmus placements; trade unions that negotiate protected leave for service; progressive politicians who speak of defence with the same urgency they reserve for the NHS. <\/p>\n<div class=\"video-player\">\n<div class=\"video-player\">\n<div class=\"metro-video-player \" data-track-module=\"video-player\">\n<div class=\"vjs-video-container vjs-fixed 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class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\twindow.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (placeholder) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>So yes, I\u2019m a liberal millennial. I recycle obsessively, believe <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/04\/19\/trans-rights-groups-descend-london-mass-protest-22938010\/\">trans rights<\/a> are human rights and think we should re\u2011join the EU yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>But I also believe that if darker forces come to our doorstep, the progressive response is not to leave the burden to someone else, but to shoulder it ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>I want all wars to end, but readiness is not warmongering. It is the silent promise that liberty will never be forfeited for lack of volunteers. <\/p>\n<p>Making \u2013 and keeping \u2013 that promise might be the most radical act my generation ever performs.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-23311055 lazyload\" alt=\"Military Procession For 80th Anniversary VE Day Celebrations In London\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GettyImages-2215631088.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>The United Kingdom today is, at its core, the same proud country that declared war to defend our Polish neighbours in 1939 (Picture: Mike Kemp\/In Pictures\/ Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And for those who ask, what would we be fighting for?<\/p>\n<p>As someone who left the UK to live in the US, I can tell you that our imperfect little island punches way above its weight. <\/p>\n<p>We stumble now and again \u2013 Brexit being a fairly major faux pas \u2013 but when push comes to shove, we almost always get it right.<\/p>\n<p>From Kosovo to Ebola relief, I couldn\u2019t be prouder of our leadership in stepping up to preserve a liberal global order time and time again. <\/p>\n<p>It came much later than I’d have liked, and of course there is more action needed, but when Israel took things too far in Palestine, we <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/05\/20\/uk-stops-trade-talks-israel-morally-unjustifiable-blockade-gaza-23124640\/\">pulled out of trade talks<\/a>, publicly called for a halt to military operations and demanded the immediate flow of humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n<p>While we should be doing more \u2013 including deploying troops \u2013 we didn’t even blink before picking a side when Putin began an unprovoked, illegal invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22952867 lazyload\" alt=\"Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer poses for a photo with troops during a visit to a military base training Ukrainian troops in the West of England. Picture date: Tuesday April 22, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story POLITICS Ukraine. Photo credit should read: Finnbarr Webster\/PA Wire\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_248424817-284c.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Keir Starmer is talking of a \u2018unity of purpose\u2019 with his defence plans (Picture: Finnbarr Webster\/PA Wire)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And just as Ukrainians refuse to back down despite years of brutal attrition, we haven\u2019t flinched and we haven\u2019t left their side \u2013 not for a single second.<\/p>\n<p>Because <em>that’s<\/em> who we are. We can be a self\u2011critical nation and still worth defending.<\/p>\n<p>The United Kingdom today is, at its core, the same proud country that declared war to defend our Polish neighbours in 1939 and opened its arms to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. <\/p>\n<p><em>That<\/em> is our country. Tiny, sure, but damn mighty. Proud. Open. Tolerant. Progressive. Diverse.<\/p>\n<p>Time and again, whether under Labour, Conservative, or Liberal Democrat coalition governments, we have sided with what is right. Sometimes a little late, sometimes a little clunky, but we always get there. <\/p>\n<p>If all that isn\u2019t worth fighting for, I don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:jess.austin@metro.co.uk\">jess.austin@metro.co.uk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keir Starmer is talking of a \u2018unity of purpose\u2019 with his defence plans (Picture: Finnbarr Webster\/Getty Images) As a self-confessed bleeding heart liberal, I think the Prime Minister was right when he said the best way to deter aggression is with a trained Reserve ready to fight. Believing that doesn\u2019t make me a warmonger; it makes me one of the first who\u2019d pick up arms. By every measure, I\u2019m a left-wing stereotype: A metropolitan, millennial, liberal, pro\u2011European, anti\u2011Trump, anti-gun, anti-war, … <a href=\"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/26\/if-britain-went-to-war-i-wouldnt-hesitate-to-enlist\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> “If Britain went to war I wouldn\u2019t hesitate to enlist”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cost-of-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":621,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions\/621"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.airnetaccess.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}