Britain needs to be prepared to make sacrifices to defend the country, the head of the Army has warned.
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head → need → Army
General Sir Roly Walker revealed how the UK responds to threats will be laid out in a ‘frank discussion’ between political leaders and citizens.
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responds → reveal → leaders
The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) was addressing 700 newly qualified troops when he offered a rare insight into plans to prepare for direct conflict.
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he → address → conflict
Sir Roly praised the soldiers and called on UK citizens to recognise what must be done to ensure Britain is ready for such an eventuality.
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Britain → praise → eventuality
His intervention came as Labour continues to put off committing to defence spending targets.
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Labour → come → targets
How much Britain invests in its armed forces is expected to plateau around its present level of 2.7 per cent of GDP for the remainder of the decade – despite calls for spending to reach 3.0 per cent by 2030.
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spending → invest → 2030
This country has until 2035 to meet the Nato defence spending benchmark of 3.5 per cent.
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country → have → cent
Hitting that second target is expected to require additional funding of around £25billion per year.
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Hitting → hit → year
The Mail has led calls for the armed forces to receive a spending boost as part of the paper's Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign.
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forces → lead → campaign
General Sir Roly, the head of the British Army, was praised by retired commanders for offering a reality check about the need to prepare for direct conflict.
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Roly → praise → conflict
Seen here at a recent military conference in Norway, General Sir Roly is responsible for the Army's contribution to UK security.
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Roly → see → security
Sir Roly made his speech as UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting (left) held talks with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth (right) intended to sure up America's support for Ukraine.
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talks → make → Ukraine
Sir Roly said: ‘You didn’t know this but our nation is going to need you.
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nation → say → you
There was a time when our nation did not want to think of a time when it would need its soldiers to fight in a war.
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soldiers → be → war
‘Indeed, very soon, the political leaders of this country will start to have a frank conversation with the citizens of this country about just what is going on and where the risk lies.
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risk → start → country
‘They are going to try and explain to our citizens that our citizens have got to consent to sacrifices to prioritise defence and security.
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citizens → go → defence
‘And then they are going to ask those citizens, to whom we are not necessarily at the front of their mind, that they too need to play a part in the defence and security of this country.’
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they → go → country
The CGS stole a march on Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who was in the United States when he made his speech.
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he → steal → speech
Weakening US support for Ukraine and for western Europe will inevitably influence Vladimir Putin’s decision regarding whether Russia tests Nato’s defences.
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Russia → weaken → defences
Sir Roly continued: ‘So they [British citizens] need to understand what we do for them.
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we → continue → them
They need to consent to allow us to do that, which means sacrifices by them.
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which → need → them
‘Ultimately we are going to need them to back us.
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them → go → us
To back you to do the one thing that you do that nobody else gets to do, and that is to take the fight to the enemy.
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that → back → enemy
The CGS’s address came days after an Ipsos survey found 51 per cent of people want more money to be spent on the armed forces but only 36 per cent are willing to fight for their country themselves.
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cent → come → country
Those backing more investment have been rising since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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Those → back → Ukraine
Then, only 28 per cent thought spending should rise.
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spending → think → ?
Those willing to bear arms has remained unchanged.
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Those → bear → arms
The survey found nearly one in three persons would support a reduction in welfare spending, including universal credit and pensions, to fund the move.
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persons → find → move
Last night, Lord Dannatt, a predecessor of Sir Roly as CGS, offered support, saying: ‘[He] is being as clear as a serving general can be that we are facing serious challenges to security both abroad and at home.
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we → offer → home
‘Sir Roly is inviting the government to take the lead that they should.
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they → invite → lead
They need to explain to the population what the threats are.
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threats → need → population
But they refuse to do so.
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they → refuse → ?
Because the logical next step is to increase the defence budget.
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step → increase → budget
‘But the Prime Minister places social security above national security.
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Minister → place → security
So the issue will be ducked at the Budget.
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issue → duck → Budget
People need to be a little scared before they will take steps to get prepared.’
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they → need → steps
To the despair of defence chiefs, Chancellor John Healey has put off setting out a pathway to the UK meeting Nato’s 3.5 per cent of GDP defence spending target until next year.
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UK → put → year
The Aporia
