Calls for the return of compulsory national service in Britain are growing louder amid fears over the country's ability to defend itself in the event of a third world war — but a former army officer has warned the idea is a "non-starter" - except in one scenario.
The intervention comes as repeated demands for military service or conscription mount over concerns about the size of Britain's armed forces compared to rival powers. Russia fields around one million full-time troops against Britain's roughly 140,000, and several European countries including France and Germany have already moved to reintroduce forms of military service in response to growing global threats, with many commentators urging Sir Keir Starmer's government to follow suit.
Now Lt Col Stuart Crawford, a former army officer and defence analyst, has poured cold water on the prospect — arguing that while the sentiment behind national service is understandable, the practical obstacles are overwhelming.
Crawford was responding to multimillionaire author and podcaster Scott Galloway, who argued that "Britain must implement mandatory national service to save its lost young men."
Galloway held up Israel's compulsory national service model as evidence that structured service could tackle the epidemic of depression among young men, arguing it provides purpose beyond individual concerns.
Writing for GB News, Crawford acknowledged the underlying problem, writing that a significant number of young British men appeared to be drifting without direction or purpose. He cited the rise of incel culture, the "manosphere" and the popularity of figures such as Andrew Tate as evidence of this.
He pointed to polling showing that over half of 18 to 30-year-olds would refuse to fight for their country "under any circumstances" - a finding he said underlined the cultural gulf any government would need to bridge.
Crawford argued that the sheer scale of the undertaking made universal national service impossible. ONS data puts the number of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK at between 5.7 million and 5.8 million as of early 2026. Obliging that number to undertake national service was "out of the question," he said, meaning some form of ballot would be required.
Beyond the numbers, the physical infrastructure does not exist - Crawford argued there are nowhere near enough barracks or training facilities to absorb a large influx of conscripts. The armed forces, he noted, struggle to recruit enough volunteers for the regular ranks as it stands. Exceptions would also be needed for medical workers and critical infrastructure staff, further reducing the pool of potential recruits.
Crawford also highlighted institutional resistance within the armed forces themselves, noting that the British military had always favoured volunteers over pressed men. He cited the old military adage: "One volunteer is worth ten pressed men."
"The idea of training glum recruits who would rather be somewhere else is not in the least appealing to professional soldiers, sailors and airmen," he wrote.
National service has deep roots in British culture, having been in place from the latter stages of the First World War right through to the early 1960s. Its legacy lives on in the national consciousness through sitcoms including Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, which poked fun at military life. The Beatles were among the first generation exempted from the requirement.
Crawford's verdict was blunt. "I believe it is a non-starter in general application unless Britain were to face another crisis of national survival akin to the last century's two world wars," he wrote.
He added: "Today's youngsters will no doubt be relieved that it is unlikely to happen any time soon. But I would never say never. The time may come."
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