UK must prepare for war on home soil, security review warns

A major new review commissioned by the UK government warns that Britain must “actively prepare” for the possibility of war reaching its own territory for the first time in decades.

The National Security Strategy compiled by former senior military officer, Sir Richard Barrons, calls for a significant shift in how the UK views threats to its national security.

It states that the country can “no longer assume” that conflict will remain remote, citing the growing capabilities of hostile states such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, alongside the erosion of international norms.

The review recommends bolstering home defences, enhancing public resilience, and adapting military and civilian infrastructure for potential domestic threats.

It also raises the prospect of reintroducing mass mobilisation measures, such as updating systems for conscription or civil defence, though the Ministry of Defence has downplayed any imminent plans for compulsory service.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the report would help guide strategic defence thinking, describing the modern world as “more dangerous” than it has been in decades.