The UK government has issued a stark warning today, for the first time in decades, Britain must actively prepare for the possibility of war on its own soil.
The newly released National Security Strategy highlights that a “wartime scenario” in the UK homeland is now a real risk and can no longer be ignored.
Russia and Iran Among Top Threats
The strategy points to Russia and Iran as the main threats. Officials have raised concerns over Iran’s increasing hostile activity within the UK, aimed at silencing critics and threatening national security directly.
The report also warns adversaries are positioning themselves to launch major disruptions to critical energy supplies and supply chains, trying to deter the UK from standing up to aggression.
Cyberattacks and Energy Security at the Forefront
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the situation as one of “very, very frequent and very, very serious” cyberattacks targeting the UK every day.
Energy security remains precarious in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the government vowing to take “proper” steps to counter these ongoing threats.
The government plans annual exercises to test preparedness across society, alongside increased protection for vital infrastructure like power stations and water supplies, a programme now dubbed “Home Defence”.
This move comes amid renewed focus on national resilience, with a new Sky News podcast, The Wargame, simulating what a Russian missile strike in the UK might look like.
The Cold War era saw Britain maintaining larger armed forces, extensive air defences, and robust civil preparedness, a far cry from today’s reduced military readiness.
As threats mount, the UK faces the urgent task of rebuilding that resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.
