A new home guard will be established to protect key British infrastructure from attacks by hostile states and terrorists, under plans reportedly put forward in a major defence review.
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 imminent invasion.
Last year, Mr Healey confirmed that the size of the British army had fallen below 70,000 for the first time since 1793. The Independent revealed in March that Labour planned to invest £1.3bn 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.”
