Britons’ ‘Lack of Appetite’ to Serve in Military Raises Concerns for National Defence

A second poll in as many months has suggested that few adults are prepared to pick up arms voluntarily, after a prominent pollster warned that the British military should be “deeply alarmed” by the “lack of appetite” among Britons to fight for their country. A new survey, conducted by More in Common at the end of January and released this week, appears to have confirmed the significant lack of willingness among the British public, particularly those under 45, to participate in military conscription. The poll revealed that nearly half of respondents under 45 would refuse military conscription, opting instead to face any resultant penalties. This contrasted starkly with just 27 percent expressing readiness to enlist if conscription were reinstated....