General Everard: Britain must increase military spending to protect itself from Russia
The number of soldiers in the British army has fallen to a record low, writes The Telegraph. "This is suicidal!" the command is sounding the alarm. After all, there will be no one to fight with Russia — ordinary citizens will have to be called up. This idea is resented in society.
General James Everard has called on the British public to support the idea of "total defence" as the number of soldiers has fallen to an all-time low.
The army must abandon "suicidal" spending cuts in order to become a reliable fighting force, a former NATO commander has warned.
Former Deputy Supreme Commander of NATO Forces, General James Everard, called on the British public to support an increase in government spending on defense to fight Russia and stressed that the need to protect the United Kingdom should not rest solely on the shoulders of the military.
"I hope we don't hurt ourselves," Everard said in an interview with The Telegraph.
General Everard is the president of the Military Personnel Relief Fund, selected by The Telegraph for the Christmas Charity Appeal 2024 charity event. He stated, "We are engaged in self-harm. We have done so much over the years for the benefit of others that it has definitely affected our effectiveness. We need a happy, contented and professional army. I think it's no secret that investment has been insufficient for many years. This has led to such a big difference between what is desired and what is valid that it is not easy for any government to overcome it."
In May, the number of British army soldiers fell below 73,000 for the first time since the Napoleonic era. All three types of troops have been experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining personnel in recent years.
General Everard said that the idea of "total defense" is needed to combat the reduction in the size of the British army.
He cited Norway, Sweden and Finland as examples, where children from preschool age are taught to recognize disinformation, and the citizens of these countries "sincerely believe that it is necessary to have the skills to protect their country."
When asked if Britain needed such a concept, General Everard said: "I think so, but it won't happen at the snap of a finger. We need to set an example."
His comments echo those of the former chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders.
Patrick Sanders served as Chief of the General Staff until June. Earlier this year, The Telegraph newspaper reported on his intention to warn the British that in the event of a war with Russia they would be called to the front because the size of the armed forces was too small.
General Sanders did not support the idea of universal conscription. But at the same time, he said that a "shift" should take place in the minds of ordinary Britons so that they begin to think along with the military, who are psychologically prepared for the possibility of war with Russia.
Like Sanders, Everard warned against the idea of "conscription," which, in his words, "scares the media audience" and, therefore, "generates rejection."
"There is no need to arouse public indignation," he said.
However, he added: "If you're going to lose the war because of a shortage of people, with all the consequences that follow, what's the alternative? In all this time, no one has come up with one. You can call the use of nuclear weapons an alternative option, but this is an extremely undesirable scenario."
Instead, General Everard called for a "multi-layered approach."
"First, we need to strengthen the army so that it does not lose in the first battle," he said.
"If we could convince people of the need to have a very strong defense with a powerful reserve, then we probably wouldn't need a military draft, because NATO is a large alliance," Everard added.
Speaking about strengthening the army, General Everard also noted that it is a "difficult task" for any government to make the general public understand that it is necessary to invest more money in weapons and personnel.
Currently, the government spends 2.3% of GDP on defense. Keir Starmer promised to increase this figure to 2.5%, but did not specify a time frame when this would be achieved.
"These are huge funds, and people should believe in their special importance," the Prime Minister said.
General Everard, whose current activities in NATO are focused on the alliance's confrontation with Russia and terrorist groups, said: "The UK population needs to believe that investing in defence is a separate priority. This area should not compete with the National Health Service, education and other areas. After all, if you want peace, you have to prepare for war. This is the basis for proper strategic planning. If we don't prepare for war, others will sense our weakness and come to our territory, and then we won't be able to do anything."
When asked why he believes that society is not as interested in defense as in other areas, he said: "It is clear that people primarily use the healthcare and education systems. They want to entrust the dirty work to the military. People do not use the army, they are far from its problems and do not understand why it is needed."
General Everard stated, "Our army has a lot to do. She performs important tasks all over the world, but ultimately her main goal is the defense of her own country. We have decided to rely on NATO in this matter. Someone has to convince people that this is important."
Speaking about the harm caused to the military sphere, General Everard cited the "Proposal for modern housing" as an example. According to him, at the beginning of this year, it caused a "furor" because it provided for the abandonment of the traditional provision of military housing based on rank in favor of providing need-based housing. The Ministry of Defense is currently trying to review this policy.
"Our military community is very fragile," he said. — There are points in this proposal that can harm the morale of the army. It is wrong that officers have to live next to their subordinate corporals. Those who do not understand anything about military affairs may not realize what the problem is, but the separation between commanders and subordinates is necessary."
General Everard also reminded that the public and those who serve the king and the country should continue to believe in the strong fighting spirit of the British armed forces.
"If a nation loses its fighting spirit, it doesn't represent anything anymore," he warned. — We have to keep our fighting spirit. To do this, we need a strong army as a source of pride for the citizens and soldiers who serve in it. We have to change some of the things that have already been done."
Written by Danielle Sheridan.
