Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a stirring call to arms proclaiming he “would jolly well” join the British Army if the call came to fight for King and country. The 59-year-old, who was the first Western leader to visit Ukraine after the Russian invasion, has backed calls from the military top brass that said Britain needs to use conscription to “train and equip” a “citizen army”.
General Sir Patrick Sanders, the outgoing Chief of the General Staff, made the comments this week as fears grow President Putin may start World War III by attacking a NATO country.
Downing Street has distanced itself from the Sir Patrick’s comments saying it would not support conscription, but Mr Johnson said he would “be there in the dugout with General Sanders”.
Writing for the Mail Online the former Conservative leader said: “No sooner had I posed myself the question, would I sign up to fight for King and country?, than I had the answer. Of course I jolly well would.”
Adding that his column was “firing off my best and wristiest salute in the direction of General Sir Patrick Sanders”, Mr Johnson continued saying he supported conscription.
He said: “The best way to prevent a war is to prepare for it. Si vis pacem para bellum (If you want peace, prepare for war).
“That is why General Sanders is right in his essential point,that we must tackle the current problems in the Armed Forces, and especially of under-recruitment.”
Sir Patrick said in a speech this week: “Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.
“We need an Army designed to expand rapidly to enable the first echelon, resource the second echelon and train and equip the citizen army that must follow.
“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. But this is not enough.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said earlier this month the world is “moving from a post-war to pre-war world” and the UK must ensure its “entire defence ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.
Mr Johnson, who said he spent time in the Combined Cadet Force between the ages of 16 and 18, concluded: “We should be far more positive in reminding people of the great truth, that joining the armed services is not only fun, it is a huge career advantage, whatever you do.
“I don’t think any man or woman ever regrets joining up.”
