Those who ignore the call-up could have their ‘social and cultural standing’ affected, an expert has claimed.
British troops during a major NATO exercise in Romania (Image: Getty)
Britons who refuse conscription in the event of a major conflict could be met with “shame”, an academic has claimed. Professor Joshua Bilton, a war studies expert at King’s College London, said those who refuse the call to arms could even face employment issues once fighting comes to an end.
His comments come as some commentators continue to call for conscription to bolster Britain’s military manpower which has gradually shrunk over the years. Professor Bilton suggested anyone who ignores a call-up could face backlash from their peers.
Speaking to the Daily Star, he said: “It could certainly affect their social and cultural standing and might even have an impact on employment post-conflict. But I think it depends on what segments of society we are talking about, as society is not monolithic, and while some will accept it and say good for you, others may shame them. It is far more nuanced than many acknowledge, as it depends greatly on how family and friends feel about a forthcoming war.”
The Government has stressed it has no plans to reintroduce conscription. Instead, its focus is on building a professional Armed Forces made up of those who choose to serve.
However, in the event of a large-scale conflict some believe this could change. Professor Bilton said if it was to be reintroduced, he doubts conscripts will be hauled onto the frontline.
There are calls for conscription to bolster Britain’s military (Image: Getty)
He said: “Most people will not end up in the Armed Forces; most people will go into industry or civil defence or other roles and sectors that support the war effort. If we look at both world wars, only about 25% of the male population of a certain age went into the Armed Forces, and even then it was often in non-combatant or support roles.”
Professor Bilton said in the event of a Third World War conscription, it is unlikely the authorities would shame men who refuse to contribute to the war effort. However, he added this might not stop “more covert and implicit” methods being deployed by some groups to pressure men into joining the war effort.
The expert stated these methods could resemble the White Feather Campaign launched by women in the First World War. Former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt said in the event of a WW3 scenario, chiefs would recall reservists and former service personnel first before considering conscription.
He said conscription would likely start with 18-24-year-olds, adding: “Britain would not necessarily begin by compelling civilians with no military experience to join the Armed Forces. Reservists and former service personnel would provide an initial pool of people with military training, although recalling them at scale would present substantial logistical challenges.”
Britain has only ever had two periods of conscription, between 1916 and 1920, and 1939 and 1960. Both periods coincided with the world wars and the following years.