Sir Keir Starmer is set to act against rising global tensions
14:50, 15 Jan 2026Updated 14:52, 15 Jan 2026
The government is poised to confirm new powers which will make it easier to mobilise tens of thousands of ex‑forces personnel as Britain ramps up war effort preparations.
Military reservists could be kept on standby for an extra ten years under the sweeping shake-up, as ministers decide on lowering the bar determining when they can be called to the frontline.
This comes as tensions mount from both inside and outside of the NATO alliance, from Russia’s continued nuclear threat and land grab in Ukraine to President Trump's threats to annexe Greenland, adding pressure on the UK to boost defence spending and sharpen its military readiness.
Despite pledging to increase defence spending, Labour has yet to deny reports that the Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Richard Knighton, warned Sir Keir Starmer and the chancellor of a £28bn shortfall forecast for spending plans just before Christmas.
Updated legislation revamping the armed forces is soon to appear in Parliament as ministers agree key sections are essential to the nation's debate on how prepared the UK really is for any hypothetical conflict.
The measures target the section of the reserves made up of ex‑service personnel, the so‑called strategic reserve, rather than volunteer reservists. At the moment, the age limit for the strategic group is 55, which is set to increase to 65, and the bar for calling them back into service will be lowered as well.
Right now, they can only be mobilised in cases of “national danger, great emergency or attack in the UK”, but that threshold will be reduced to “warlike preparations”, bringing it in line with rules already applied to reservists who have left active service in the past few years.
If MPs sign it off, the package, which also includes a series of routinely renewed technical measures, will take effect next year.
The government was advised to "reinvigorate the relationship with the strategic reserves", estimated to have about 95,000 members, by the Strategic Defence Review last year.
Publishing a new national security strategy at the same time, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden warned Parliament that the UK must "actively prepare for the possibility of the UK coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario".
The member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South East told MPs the country had entered an 'era of confrontation with hostile actors', underlining Russia’s assault on Ukraine as the clearest and most urgent example.
“Iranian hostile activity on British soil" was also flagged in the strategy, with warnings that adversaries are exploring ways to disrupt energy supplies and key supply chains. Labour has already committed to lifting defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027, an increase of £6bn a year, with a further rise to 3.5% by 2035.
And concerns over Donald Trump’s threat to pull back US protection for NATO allies prompted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to vow that Britain will hit a new NATO benchmark of spending 5% of GDP on national security by 2035.
Those most likely to be called up first under any future conscription plans include:
- Reservists – Civilian volunteers who serve part‑time while holding down regular jobs.
- Strategic reservists – Former full‑time service personnel who make up a national pool of experienced back‑up troops.
- Young, fit men – Historically the first group targeted due to their physical condition, ability to train quickly and capacity to serve for longer periods.
Family circumstances have also affected who gets sent to the front line:
- Single adults without children – Governments have often tried to avoid separating parents from their families, meaning those without dependants are typically called up earlier.
- Women – The UK has never formally drafted women for direct frontline combat, but that could shift. A 2024 YouGov poll found 72% of Britons support men and women serving equally on the front lines.
If a conflict were prolonged, the net could widen:
- Older age groups – In extended wars, older citizens have historically been drawn in. By the end of the Second World War, men up to the age of 51 were being conscripted.